Gatwick will further subsidise the cost of on-site Covid testing provided at the airport by ExpressTest, with Fit to Fly lateral flow tests now available for £33.
ExpressTest operates two sites at Gatwick, a drive-in testing centre and a walk-in clinic in the North Terminal, with testing at both having been subsidised by the airport since last November.
However, the airport on Thursday (16 September) said it was aware the overall cost of testing was continuing to "act as a barrier to travel" for many families, which was also having a knock-on adverse effect on the aviation industry.
Gatwick said on Thursday (16 September) it had repeatedly called for government to ease the UK’s travel rules and lower the testing standard required of fully vaccinated arrivals from green and amber list countries to lateral flow "to help increase bookings and ultimately preserve jobs in and around the airport".
As of Thursday, Fit to Fly lateral flow tests now cost £33pp, down from £35pp with discount code LGWBTT2.
Meanwhile, Gatwick has also cut all other testing options by £10 from £69pp to £59pp with discount code LGWBTT10. These include PCR tests for green and amber list arrivals, and PCR Test to Release tests.
Fit to Fly PCR tests remain at an already subsidised £59pp. All discounts are for Gatwick passengers only.
Stewart Wingate, Gatwick chief executive, said: “Gatwick airport recognises that the cost of PCR tests is prohibitive and acts as barrier preventing larger numbers from booking international travel.
"We are therefore pleased to be able to offer passengers a more cost-effective solution, conveniently located at the airport, to help people get away on a much-needed holiday, to visit loved ones abroad or travel for business."