very large instrument 
But glad he managed it! DH went to Germany a couple of weeks ago and went with All The Passports (official paper, downloaded pdf, printed pdf, app that didn't work...) and the border people didn't look at any of them! Restaurants etc couldn't scan the "universally scannable" (according to JS) code, but they were, unexpectedly, fine with the paper version, as long as they could see there were 2 doses of a recognised vaccine. Anyway, fingers crossed his trip goes well!
It is bonkers the flight is cheaper. I get so annoyed at stuff like that, especially within the UK. There's no way it's actually cheaper to fly a plane to London than drive a train... regardless of the environmental cost. So why does "the market" make it? I made a point of never flying/ always getting public transport (where possible) to meetings in the UK for work, and really had to fight with some clients/ project managers who were questioning the time and cost compared to flying/driving. (And I never actually charged my travel time as I could work, but sometimes I needed a hotel at the other end). It's just so draining trying to fight it - and I work in the environmental sector, so you'd have thought it would be standard! Maybe the new train service is adding a bit of competition to LNER now to get to london?
I agree too that it looks like the UK (mainly English) cases are peaking now, without a Plan B/ Plan Scottish Normal. I'm also bemused why so many people/ media seem to be crying out for restrictions down south, when they haven't made any noticeable difference here. "Ah, but Scottish numbers are so much lower than in England, and have stayed steady for weeks now". Well, yes, they are now, but this time last month/ 6 weeks the roles were reversed, and what restrictions have changed in either country in that time? Naff all... Also, doesn't Wales also have masks and vaccine passports, and their cases have risen too, and about 60% more than England's. Do people even look beyond what is happening this week in their own neighbourhood before saying that it's common sense that these measures will do something?!