Holidays abroad / PCR tests. What's the deal?

[StressyMcStressFace]

Have seen a perfect holiday in Portugal at end of June but as far as I can see all the required PCR tests (as things stand atm) would cost over £500! (4 people). Can this be this right? I have googled and googled and fallen down a rabbit Warren of confusion .

Is it worth booking holiday now and fet the good price in the hope that the pcr requirement may be eased by June do you think?

Interested in your thoughts and if there's any way around not having to pay £500 on PCR tests!

The testing requirements keep changing so very hard to predict what June will be like.

We just went to see my family abroad in Europe at Christmas and drove there to avoid crowds. Needed pcrs to enter, lateral flows there, lateral flows before returning and pcrs on day 2. So it cost a fortune plus the French government tried to close the border for transit which in itself is just ridiculous. Even getting the antigen tests in a French airport was unpleasant as they really go right up the nose so far which was hard for the kids. I love France and French people but don’t like their red tape and current government at all. Day to day most of the French people I know are just ignoring the whole palava.

We had a lovely Christmas but the extra cost and hassle with extra paperwork is very time consuming. We knew if we got stuck we would be fine and brought laptops for kids etc.
I think politicians are slapping on testing requirements for the sake of it to be seen to be doing something. However, in reality it just stops poorer and less privileged people from travelling and often seeing their families. I really think their should be exemptions for those people going to see family, especially poorer people.

I have seen something on the Daily Mail website regarding uk entry LFTs being removed but day 2 pcrs staying

here

Thanks for the link. I'm happy to do PCR when get home and isolate at home if necessary... Got my fingers crossed pre-entry tests are scrapped

pre entry tests getting scrapped on wednesday. Day 2 PCR will stay i think as they test for variants not cases as such

@Watapalava - where did you see this? I haven’t read it anywhere.

[quote BelgianWaffles]@Watapalava - where did you see this? I haven’t read it anywhere.[/quote]
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10363535/Pre-departure-tests-travellers-wanting-enter-England-likely-axed.html?fbclid=IwAR15IksDxmbCD5QnbdjXyP9t8rfWHPzwZK7jTZH5tr1tn--uvgnPt86ZfC4

Book it now to ensure the best price , if we look at the last 2 years the testing regime over winter time is always more rigid than in the summer. Most restrictions get lifted over the summer , depending who you book it through , Easyjet and BA for example , offer discounted PCR tests if you do end up having to test .
I'm going to Spain in 6 weeks time and glad to see the test before return to UK will be scrapped and holding out for the day 2 PCR to be gone as well for fully vaccinated travellers .
There is a rumour in the travel industry all testing will be lifted for fully vaccinated travellers soon .

I would book it! We have a week away in May in Greece. Yes pre departure tests are looking like they are being scrapped, yay!! As soon as that's confirmed, I will be booking a few days away somewhere in Europe for late jan.

We travelled in December and the rules changed right up to the week before we went, rendering some of the tests we had booked useless.
We ended up with 7 booked tests, used 4 of them. Cost us more than £500.

Point being, no one knows what the requirements will be until the time comes and prepare for changes and extra cost.

I don’t regret the trip though!