The SPAA has criticised the government for insisting that the day two and day eight tests for those returning from amber and red list countries must be booked via a single supplier at a fixed rate.
It is calling for tests from a wider range of testing providers to be permissible under the Scottish government’s Covid border regime, particularly when they meet the same standards as those mandated by Holyrood.
Restrictions on international travel to and from Scotland were lifted on Monday (17 May) after the Scottish government adopted the same traffic light system and green list set out by Westminster.
However, the SPAA said information on the specific testing required before and after travel was "at best, as clear as mud". "It appears that Scots are disadvantaged by being mandated to spend more on testing than travellers in other parts of the UK," said the association on Thursday (20 May).
“As members of the Scottish government aviation working group, we consistently voiced our appeals that testing should be accessible and affordable. We have also been lobbying for a four-nation approach to all travel issues."
The SPAA, though, said finding the correct information on the type of tests required and how to obtain them on the Scottish government website was "virtually impossible".
"If a traveller can actually find this information, they are faced with only being able to book and pay for the post-return testing through one organisation," said the SPAA.
"A traveller can take a privately procured Covid-19 test before travelling as long as it meets the standard outlined. However, the post-return day two and day eight tests can only be booked and paid for via one company and at a cost of £170.
"Scots will travel across the border to Newcastle and Manchester as it’s a cheaper option, and Scotland’s travel sector will be in an even more precarious position."
‘Level playing field’
The SPAA said it accepted the need for PCR testing and for it to be of a certain level of accuracy, but said it couldn’t understand why tests from other companies were not acceptable when the offer the required level of specificity and allowed for genomic sequencing to check for variants.
"Some airlines that fly from Scotland are offering their UK travellers reduced cost tests, and SPAA members themselves are able to source and offer these tests at a lower fee – but Scots are being disadvantaged by being forced to buy these more expensive tests for one single source," said the SPAA.
“We understand we have a new parliament and that this may slow down decision making, but we need politicians to understand that travel agents are not in a position to sit back and wait for information. If we want the extremely valuable contribution that aviation and travel bring to Scotland’s economy, there has to be a level playing field for us all."
