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Thomas Cook partners with covid-testing company
Thomas Cook is the latest travel company to partner with a covid testing firm to offer travellers free or discounted tests.
The news follows confirmation from the Government that all international travellers, including UK nationals, will need to show a negative Covid test to enter England and Scotland in a tightening of border controls to tackle the spread of infections.
International travellers must take a test up to 72 hours before arriving in England and Scotland and present the negative result before boarding.
On arrival into the UK, Border Force will conduct spot checks on passengers. Those unable to provide a negative test face a £500 fine
Thomas Cook has partnered with covid-testing firm Randox to offer a discounted Covid-19 test to its customers for £85.
A Thomas Cook spokesman said it was waiting to know more about the implementation of the testing regime but was hoping to point customers to testing centres and/or include them in the holiday if there was a way of doing it at scale.
He added that until the Government provides more guidance on the test type and how it’s going to be implemented it was impossible to ‘finalise our approach’.
In December Club Med announced it was partnering with Randox to offer clients discounted tests with Randox, bringing the cost down to £95.
EasyJet entered partnerships with two covid testing firms with Confirm Testing and City Doc, while Tui is also discounting home testing kits through a discount code on its website. Wizz also has a discount code for Confirm Testing on its website.
Luxury tour operator Nemo said it would be working with hotels and destinations to cover the cost of the required tests.
Co-founder Tom Harding said: "If we need to put a product in place we can move quickly, working with our high end hotel partners and destinations. Even in remote corners of Namibia or on an island retreat in the Maldives, we can work with hotels to provide PCR tests for our travellers."
By Louise Longman, Contributing Editor (UK)
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