COVID-19 testing facility ready
Collinson, Swissport and Heathrow announced a pilot of the tests in July. French tourists spent an estimated £1.7 billion in the UK last year. The tests will be transported using the same protocols as the NHS uses for home swab tests. Collinson and Swissport announce dedicated COVID-19 testing facility is ready for use at Heathrow’s Terminal 2, with the same to be ready at Terminal 5 by end of monthCollinson, Swissport and Heathrow asking UK Government to release inbound passengers who test negative from quarantine early
The UK is now in the position to benefit from the experience of other markets and implement inbound PCR testing to safely restart more of the travel sector including ‘red’ listed countries and long-haul routes. The positive economic impact will be significant. Six more countries were recently added to the UK’s ‘red’ list, including France – the UK’s fourth largest trading partner and the second most important tourist market for the UK.



Last year French tourists spent an estimated £1.7 billion in the UK, accounting for around 8% of all tourist spending. In total, overseas residents spent £28.4 billion on visits to the UK in 2019, indicating the devastating scale of economic impact if inbound travel cannot safely restart.

Collinson’s recent survey of 22,000 frequent flying Priority Pass members found that nearly 3 in 4 (71%) are ready to return to travel either immediately or within the next 3-6 months, but unpredictable factors such as quarantines and border controls represent their top concern about returning to air travel. 74% identify this as a worry, and accordingly, half of travellers are willing to pay for a COVID-19 test to help ease travel restrictions.

Inside the new testing area in Terminal 2, Collinson nurses will be on hand to assist in taking a swab within the facility, which is then transported by Swissport staff to a specifically dedicated Collinson biotech lab near Heathrow. The tests will be transported using the same protocols as the NHS uses for home swab tests.

Heathrow CEO, John Holland-Kaye, said: “Testing will not only avoid the “quarantine roulette” that so many passengers faced in Spain and France, it will also open up flights to key trading partners such as the US, Canada and Singapore. The government’s own research shows that a double test has a high level of accuracy in screening for COVID. This facility is an oven-ready opportunity to see how Britain can safely reopen for business, as other countries are doing.”

With Government support, the pilot of the new testing procedure could be available as a private service to anyone with a flight landing in Heathrow Terminal 2, and within a few weeks for those arriving in Terminal 5.

Collinson, Swissport and Heathrow announced a pilot of the tests in July and have been in discussions with various government departments in the search for a testing model that will enable safe travel and reduce the impact of quarantine. The tests proposed for the procedure are the ‘gold-standard’ PCR tests, sensitive enough to detect COVID-19 particles even before a passenger has displayed any symptoms, and before they become infectious.

Airport testing is still the most viable solution to increasing travel while keeping virus spread low,” added David Evans, Joint CEO at Collinson. “We’re pleased to announce that our solution is ready to give a massively needed boost to international trade as well as inbound business and leisure travel, crucial to the recovery of so many sectors. This can all be done with the reassurance that this is science led, making it safe to do so.