People flying from Doncaster Sheffield Airport or East Midlands Airport will be able to book pre-flight COVID-19 tests to reduce isolation periods in other countries.
Flights to popular destinations are becoming more regular after England’s international travel ban was lifted.
The travel regulations now state that the 14-day quarantine period when leaving the country can be reduced to just five days, as long as a negative COVID-19 test result is provided.
Passengers coming back to the UK still do not require a quarantine period upon their return, if the country you are leaving is on the government’s travel corridor list.
In response to this, airlines at Doncaster Sheffield Airport will offer discounted Test & Release kits to its customers, calling it the ‘Fit to Fly’ package.
Wizz Air will offer the kit, which includes a PCR (throat and nasal swab) test and certificate, at £85 per person, while TUI will provide discount codes for passengers to receive next day delivery on home testing kits.
Passengers at East Midlands Airport will be able to access a new facility, which offers a range of private tests.
Airport testing prices will start at £40 for antibody tests, £50 for antigen (lateral flow) tests, £79 for LAMP (isothermal amplification) tests and £99 for PCR tests.
The main difference between the tests is that PCR tests require changes of temperature to show results, unlike LAMP tests, which means results take longer to appear.
East Midlands is also allowing people to book pre-flight testing appointments at 50 selected Boots stores in the UK, before they have even set foot in the airport.
Passengers will be able to access Boots’ in-store RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) test, which returns results within 48 hours and is designed for customers who do not think they have COVID-19.
These tests are being offered to the public to try and shrink quarantine times when flying to and from other countries.
EMA managing director Clare James, said: “As England emerges from a ban on international travel, we know our passengers are keen to start flying again.
“However, many of the most popular destinations that passengers fly to from EMA require a negative test before visitors arrive in the country.
“Subject to the relevant tests securing Government approval, this could free people from quarantine after just five days.
“Our goal is to make testing available to as many passengers as possible, helping to get the country flying again as England comes out of its second lockdown.”
Chris Harcombe, Aviation Development Director at Doncaster Sheffield Airport, said: “This has been an extremely challenging year for airlines, airports and the aviation industry as a whole as we have seen a reduction of over 80% in passenger traffic.
“Operators have had to be agile and TUI and Wizz have responded to the easing of lockdown and the introduction of Test and Release by adding extra flights to popular destinations as well as discounts for testing kits, in a move to get passengers back in the air.”
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Can you help us identify the woman in these CCTV images?
We are appealing for help to identify the woman shown in these CCTV images following a theft that occurred on Wednesday 22 June in Grimsby.
A 92-year-old woman was walking through Freshney Place Shopping centre, Grimsby when it is believed that her purse was taken from her shopping trolley.
The woman in these images we believe may be able to assist with our investigations and we would ask anyone who believes they recognise her to please contact us on our non-emergency 101 line quoting log 246 of 23 June.
A retired fire engine that used to operate in Grimsby was used in Ukraine to help combat a missile attack on a shopping centre, which the G7 has described as a ‘war crime’ by Russia.
On Monday, footage emerged of a missile striking a shopping centre in the Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk, with Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky claiming is is evidence of a deliberate attack by Russia.
At least 20 people were killed and around 56 were injured following the incident, with G7 leaders saying the attack is considered a war crime. More than 1,000 people were inside the building when it was hit by the missile.
A familiar looking fire engine can be seen in video footage of the blaze shared across news outlets and social media platforms, in the form of an old Humberside Fire & Rescue vehicle.
Large shopping mall in Kremenchuk with hundreds of civilians inside has been hit by a Russian strike. Russia is a disgrace to humanity and it must face consequences. The response should be more heavy arms for Ukraine, more sanctions on Russia, and more businesses leaving Russia. pic.twitter.com/Uvi6fbyShK
The fire engine used to operate here in North East Lincolnshire, covering Grimsby and Immingham, and it is one of many vehicles sent out by Humberside Fire & Rescue to various countries across Europe in recent years.
Fire Aid recently sent a convoy of around 75 vehicles, equipment and clothing to Ukraine to help provide resources for recovery.
At least 20 people were killed in the incident. | Photo: BBC Look North
Area manager Matthew Sutcliffe told BBC Look North: “We’ve sent a number of fire engines since 2015 over there. These are end of life fire engines for us in Humberside, so we share them across Eastern Europe where we can.
“It’s an absolute tragedy what we saw yesterday. Firefighters there were using one of our old fire engines to protect the property but also save lives.”
"Absolute terrorism" – says @ZelenskyyUa and publishes a video of a deliberate missile strike on the Kremenchuk shopping center with people inside. Russian propaganda always lies: there is no coincidence, it is a deliberate blow to intimidate the population and mass victims. pic.twitter.com/Gx1f90cMta
During a regular nightly address to the nation on Monday, president Zelensky said: “The Russian missile hit this very object, purposefully. Obviously, that was the order. It is obvious that Russian assassins received such coordinates for this missile.
“They wanted to kill as many people as possible in a peaceful city, in a regular shopping mall.”
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