UK govt are making a killing out of private travel tests...

[Plumedenom]

.. and they have no interest in making a digital covid passport available while they are making money out of private day 5 and 8 kits. I look at that list of private test providers and I see a massive list of 'jobs for the boys'.

While the rest of Europe have signed an agreement and will be ready to roll out a digital certificate of vaccination in July, our government haven't even engaged with Europe. They are spending money making another system when a perfectly good and secure system has been offered to them.

They want us to go on holiday here or pay exorbitant prices for tests if we do have to go. Anything to keep the money in the UK coffers, at the expense of freedom of movement.

There are 5 million UK nationals living in Europe. The majority go home at least once a year. Each test kit costs 200-300 quid. That is a hell of a backhander they are making. You tell me why posting two rapid flow tests in the post costs 300 quid. It is a scandal waiting to be uncovered.

@Abraxan

You can’t do a lateral flow and not show it to anyone whilst abroad. You need to contact with someone from the company you buy the test from via a video call. They teach you how to do the lateral flow and you show them the result. Otherwise you could lie and say your result was negative

Dd didn't need to do that. She just needed an email confirming a negative result to show the airline staff just before boarding. That was pcr predeparture in England, and lft or pcr before leaving Portugal.

Result did have to be reported in English, French or Spanish though. It couldn't be just in Portuguese.

You’re talking about 2 different things.

Tui deal: travelweekly.co.uk/news/air/tui-to-offer-pcr-tests-for-travel-from-20

This is the cheapest deal I've seen and only available for TUI travellers. Why can't more companies have these deals?

@abraxan - and how will you guarantee to get a postal test back in 72 hours? If you need it to eg fly

Soontobe60

Fair enough. I thought the poster was referring to the LFT test done for entry back to the UK needing to be done via video call evidence.

[quote Sunnyfreezesushi]@abraxan - and how will you guarantee to get a postal test back in 72 hours? If you need it to eg fly[/quote]
Which bit do you mean?

DD's results from her PCR came back within 24 hours on sending them. Many of the companies say they guarantee results within 24 or 48 hours depending on who you use.

The replacement company delivered with guaranteed next day delivery for free, which was useful for us.

@abraxan - sorry I don’t think I was very clear. I meant that certain countries require a pcr test for entry within 72 hours of departure and some won’t even let you on if flight delayed and test time expires. So it is a very narrow window and one needs a very reliable company to deal with that and return quickly with fit to fly letter. I just wouldn’t trust some of the cheaper providers to necessarily do this as I have heard several stories of day 2 tests not coming back for ages and ages. Hopefully the company TUI is using would be vetted and reliable and at a good price.
If these companies are recommended by government they should incur fines if they do not deliver in a timely manner.

The travel rules are complicated. That's also fine for now, because clearly we are only just getting to grips with this virus. But let's be honest, this system is bollocks. If you wanted to make sure people were taking a test, you'd ask them to come to an NHS site and make them pay a flat rate there, or at a pharmacy. That way the NHS makes money and the result is guaranteed. As it is, I could literally swab the dog with these private test company ones and no one would be the wiser. Let's stop pretending it's to protect people, it's for money.

Plumedenom has it absolutely correct. This system is about making money for certain people not about public health.

Plumedenom You don't need to wait with baited breath as I told you. Oh dear, you're starting to sound very cat's bum mouth!

@HeyDemonItsYaGirl. I am awaiting because you have either found the deal of the century or you don't have a clue what you're talking about.

[quote Sunnyfreezesushi]@abraxan - sorry I don’t think I was very clear. I meant that certain countries require a pcr test for entry within 72 hours of departure and some won’t even let you on if flight delayed and test time expires. So it is a very narrow window and one needs a very reliable company to deal with that and return quickly with fit to fly letter. I just wouldn’t trust some of the cheaper providers to necessarily do this as I have heard several stories of day 2 tests not coming back for ages and ages. Hopefully the company TUI is using would be vetted and reliable and at a good price.
If these companies are recommended by government they should incur fines if they do not deliver in a timely manner.[/quote]
It is certainly a concern. We chose companies which had a guaranteed time for return, and didn't do the test too soon - so not at 72 hours, but nearer to 48 hours. So gave Dd those few hours leeway in case of delays. As it happened DD's result was back well within 24 hours of drop off.

I know from reading Twitter some companies haven't delivered in time.

Plumedenom Okay dear, you wait with that sour face while I enjoy the Greek sunshine

It is starting to get some traction in the press from the tabloids, but it's all about how people are being let down by test providers. That's not great, but my bigger worry is actually transparency. We are giving them our DNA, phone numbers, passport numbers....but we don't really know who they are. If they can fail to provide a test and get away with it, they are virtually unregulated. It's not ideal to say the least.

I'm back in the UK and the £40 Chronomics package was absolutely fine - OP was/is talking out of her arse.