Thousands of Brit travellers have turned up at UK airports during the Easter holidays only to be caught out by the latest travel rules.
Sunseeking Brits looking to head overseas for a much-needed break are being warned to plan ahead as thousands are rocking up without the Covid certification they need to get to their destination.
In Britain, the Government has scrapped all of its previous travel rules from Covid tests to qurantine periods, while other countries have also begun to lift their restrictions. France recently reopened to unvaccinated Brits for holidays, with no quarantine requirements, while anyone aged 12 or over can visit Spain provided they are either fully vaccinated against Covid, or can show proof of recent recovery.
However, the rules are different for each country and many still have restrictions in place, as holidaymakers are finding out to their dismay.
Many still require a negative test result - something a number of Brit travellers appear not to realise.
Not only have they had to pay up to £119 for last minute testing, passengers have risked missing their flight as they wait in long queues at airports that are already under strain due to staff shortages and a particularly busy Easter period.
Nick Markham, co-founder of Cignpost ExpressTest, who offer Covid testing at a number of UK airports, told Travel Weekly that Brit holidaymakers were turning up without the correct Covid test certification for their intended destination.
He said: “Because the UK government has lifted all Covid restrictions, people naturally assume that all testing everywhere has ended.
“However, many countries still have some level of Covid testing in place for arrivals.
"They include the US, which requires all travellers to take a negative Covid test no more than 24 hours before they fly, and most of Europe’s short haul destinations, which have testing rules for arrivals who are not fully vaccinated, often including children aged 12 and over.”
If you want to travel to the United States, you must provide a negative Covid test 24 hours before flying.
While many European holiday destinations require children who are not fully vaccinated to provide negative Covid tests to prove they are not carrying the bug.
And Brits could be stung in the wallet, with last-minute, unplanned Covid tests reportedly ranging in price from £35 to as much as £119 if results are needed urgently in a few hours.
And travellers still risk missing flights waiting for results to come back or stuck waiting in long queues to do their tests.
Speaking to the Sun, Mr Markham added: "Airports are already under pressure with staff shortages often themselves caused by COVID infections. That could mean longer queues at check-ins or for essential purchases at the airport.
"So having to queue for a last-minute test and then hoping the result comes through in time could leave travellers without time to clear security and catch their flight.
"We are urging all holidaymakers to check the entry requirements carefully for their destination before their departure date, and to book all necessary tests at the airport or in advance to avoid any last-minute holiday regrets."
