Ryanair to offer cheap PCR tests for passengers

Carrier to offer £60 kits

Ryanair will offer £60 tests (Simon Calder)

Ryanair has now joined the list of airlines offering discounted PCR tests to passengers.

Partnering with testing kit brand Randox, Ryanair will offer customers 50 per cent off, with kits costing £60 instead of £120.

The discounted price will be available on both pre-departure tests and on arrival back into the country, and is only available for travellers based in the UK.

International leisure travel has been given the go-ahead from 17 May under a new traffic-light system.

Countries will be graded red, amber or green according to the risk level of importing cases of Covid into the UK.

Different rules apply to each – with green countries offering the lightest restrictions – but returning travellers will all have to take at least two tests no matter where they’ve been.

These will consist of a PCR, lateral flow or rapid antigen test before departure for the UK, and a PCR test on arrival.

Those coming from green list countries must take the PCR within two days of arrival, while travellers from amber or red countries are required to take two PCR tests: one on day two and one on day eight.

British Airways, easyJet and Wizz Air are all offering customers access to discounted tests.

BA has partnered with Qured, which will deliver rapid, professionally administered antigen test kits to passengers at an exclusive discounted price of £33.

Meanwhile, UK Wizz Air customers requiring negative PCR test results can access a promotion code in order to buy Confirm Testing kits at reduced prices.

The “Fit to Fly” package, which includes a PCR swab test and certificate, will be available to Wizz Air customers for £85 instead of the usual price tag of over £110.

And easyJet has launched lab partnerships with Confirm Testing and City Doc, and customers can choose between an at-home testing kit or a walk-in test at a clinic.

It follows the news that the price of Covid-19 PCR tests for travel could be slashed to under £50 if they are made exempt from VAT.

The Treasury is reportedly considering the exemption for private tests, reports The Telegraph.

“Senior sources” told the paper that the move was “under review”.

It could knock 20 per cent off the price of a test, which currently costs from £60 to £300 when administered privately.