Manchester Airport Bolsters Onsite Testing

Manchester Airport has announced plans to quadruple the number of testing centres on site.

MAG – which also owns, East Midlands and London Stansted airports – also confirmed Randox will join existing partner Collinson to operate the sites, which will be a combination of walk-through and drive-through testing centres.

Together, they will operate 11 sites across MAG’s three airports, offering passengers a range of tests for arrival and departure, including packages for amber/green list countries, plus Test to Release, which unlocks passengers from quarantine after a full five days.

Both providers will offer unique tests, including Randox’s rapid 1-3-hour PCR test and Collinson’s same day Test to Release offering. Currently PCR tests can take up to 48 hours, meaning passengers have to come to the airport ahead of their trip.

However, with Randox’s rapid PCR test, with results available in just 1-3 hours, travellers can save time and do the test on the day of travel.

Collinson’s same-day Test to Release process uses a rapid LAMP test, meaning that passengers can get their results back on the same day and release from quarantine on day five* with a negative result. Other providers use PCR, meaning it can take up to day six or seven to get a result. These are just two of the services Randox and Collinson will provide across MAG’s airports, with more than a dozen tests and options available.

PCR test prices start from £60, a full list of tests on offer, costs, plus locations at each airport can be found below. Tests can be booked online now.

MAG is the UK’s largest airport operator and has been at the forefront of passenger safety throughout the pandemic. It was one of the first airport groups to introduce a range of onsite safety measures including mandatory face coverings, enhanced cleaning, bookable security slots and sanitiser stations. It opened its first testing centres in December 2020 with Collinson and has performed over 100,000 tests across its three airports to date.

For more information: www.manchesterairport.co.uk/coronavirus/testing