To the persons that have recently travelled by plane to Uk, I am due to fly back next week and I’m a bit unsure about the test required to enter.

On the UK GOV website it says:

“This could include tests such as:

- a nucleic acid test, including a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test or derivative technologies, including loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) tests

- an antigen test, such as a test from a lateral flow device”

My question is: would an rapid antigen test from the chemist be sufficient?

Thanks in advance.

Yes. As long as the certificate holds all the required information and is in an accepted language (EN, FR, ES).

Your test result must be in either English, French or Spanish. Translations will not be accepted.

You must provide the original test result notification. It must include the following information:

your name, which should match the name on your travel documents
your date of birth or age
the result of the test
the date the test sample was collected or received by the test provider
the name of the test provider and their contact details
confirmation of the device used for the test, or that the test was a PCR test

Thank you for clarifying!

You need to confirm the specification of the test falls within the min requirement.

Did they pick up on the absurdity of you having tickets showing you were leaving the same day you arrived (before the 2 and 8 day tests would be applicable)? Did you mention it at all? What's the reason you registered for the tests on day 2 and 8 - did something in a system force you to?

Because the airline probably wouldn´t let him board the plane without that. It is an entry requirement.



Similar with Swiss, you may be exempt from testing, you still have to show proof of that before they allow you to board.

Another point, what if you don't complete the day 2 and day 8 tests. Even though you left the UK, a condition of entry is that your tests on days 2 and 8 after arrival, those results are needed for tracking in case you were positive. The fact that you are not currently in the UK doesn't exempt you from this obligation!

How are you going to post back the day 2 test (or day 8) when you've already left the country?

I was told by the british government that if you stay less than 2 or 8 days then you don't need to book those tests. I guess you need proof of your return flight before that time instead. It's hard to find a provider that sells the day 2 test without the day 8 test, but I did find one - in the end I didn't travel due to new quarantine rules here.

It's just silly, there was no point in explaining the absurdity to the jobsworth on the desk, I was in a hurry!

If you're a "regular foreign worker" you can get exemptions about having to *pay* for day 2 or 8 if your stay is less than that but they've tightened up the conditions recently.
Having the obligation to pay without the obligation to take the test seems simply like money grabbing.
It's actually possibly a good idea to book in-clinic tests then cancel them if you can get a refund.

Really shit on Friday at Heathrow T2 - they've linked the E-Gates to the locator forms but haven't told most of the staff the criteria and removed the 4-6 people checking people before the E-gates so everyone almost is going to the main desks, some of which werent manned again.

Anyone with commuter exceptions etc won't work at the E-gates but the woman telling people 'You can try the E-gates if you like they're only working for some people' without telling them the criteria wasn't clearly informed.

Took 1 hour 45 mins to get through a queue size which on previous weeks would have taken 30-40 mins tops.

No, not the self test, however I travelled back a few weeks ago and got the rapid anti-gen test from the Zurich Airport Medical Centre and this was sufficient, as it meets the specificity requirements. These are also covered through you insurance/government so you won't be charged. Do not be ripped off paying for a PCR.

Returning back to Switzerland, a rapid anti-gen test at Heathrow is also sufficient. I used to below, it cost £35 and I did the test at the airport and got on my flight no problem. Again, don't be ripped off paying for an expensive PCR.

https://www.expresstest.co.uk/intern...SAAEgJCx_D_BwE

We used RightAngled for our Day 2&8 tests, as well as a fit to fly test, absolute shambles. Day 8 & fit to fly results took 5 days, therefore completely unfit for purpose, hence we did the rapid test at Heathrow.

But you run the risk of a 200 CHF fine, right?

Yep if you hit a spot check but to be fair I've only been checked once in the last 12 months since flights restarted after the first lockdown and travelled tens of times. That said I still always get a PCR myself - why risk it.

I must admit I didn't see the rule regarding the PCR spot check.

If and when I travel, I will continue to use the rapid anti-gen test, a couple of successful trips would could the cost of any CHF200 fine should I be checked.

Seems very odd that they have 1 rule for boarding the plane, and another for border control.

Not at all as they're different 'agencies'/rules. You have 3 sets of rules to keep an eye on:

Airline
Entry requirements of outbound destination.
Entry requirements of return destination.

I agree that the outbound & return rules could be very different, I would just expect that the test I provide the airline, that know where I am travelling, to be sufficient in the country I am travelling to. BAG state for boarding rapid anti-gen is fine, but to get off that same plane, it isn't

But this has to cater for passengers who transit through Switzerland who may be going onto countries who only need antigen to enter (such as the UK).

You can't insist on PCR tests for all passengers regardless which is why you need to check destination country requirements as well.