Virgin Atlantic launches pre-flight testing trial

All passengers aged five and above were tested before the flight at Heathrow Terminal 2’s pre-departure testing facility, run by Collinson and Swissport.

In total, all 162 passengers eligible to be tested, as well as the 11 crew, tested negative before the aircraft took off shortly before 10.30am.

Thursday’s Barbados flight, VS131, was the first in a six-week pre-departure testing trial, offering free, rapid, point-of-care lateral-flow antigen tests.

Customers on select Heathrow-Barbados flights, and those travelling onwards to Antigua and Grenada, will be requested to take a test on departure.