Express Test PCR - recent experiences
Oct 23, 2021, 8:36 pm
#46
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: San Diego
Programs: Plat Pro AAdvantage, but defected to BAEC
Posts: 1,222
Anyone been able to book a lateral flow test upon arrival at T5 since the rules changed? I go to the express test site, select arrivals and T5 and try to book a test, but the only options I’m given are for Gatwick?
Oct 23, 2021, 8:53 pm
#47
Moderator: Hyatt Gold Passport & Star Alliance
Join Date: May 1998
Location: London, UK
Programs: UA-1K 3MM/HY- LT Globalist/BA-GGL/GfL
Posts: 12,077
I think they sell out on some days of peak demand.
Oct 24, 2021, 12:38 am
#48
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,164
I went on the Collinson site yesterday and all that they offered for Day 2 was PCR. I am still persuaded to think that these tests are a rip-off regardless of what anyone may urge to the contrary.
Oct 24, 2021, 6:01 am
#49
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold-GGL
Posts: 1,181
Qured are pretty reliable - I'd book the Day 2 test kit to be sent to my home instead of getting it done on landing. From £22 depending on which airline discount you blag. You only need the order reference for the PLF, no-one checks you've done the test.
Oct 24, 2021, 11:46 am
#50
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: San Diego
Programs: Plat Pro AAdvantage, but defected to BAEC
Posts: 1,222
Update.... tried again this morning and now I can select the unsupervised antigen test
Last edited by Reetmafreen; Oct 24, 2021 at 11:51 am Reason: Looks like they updated the site overnight
Oct 24, 2021, 12:01 pm
#51
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: San Diego
Programs: Plat Pro AAdvantage, but defected to BAEC
Posts: 1,222
Looks like Expresstest is working a little better this morning too. I can now select LHR T5 arrivals for an in person test. Test dates only go out a couple of weeks though, so I’ll have to hold off for a little while.
Oct 24, 2021, 2:55 pm
#52
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: GLA/EDI
Programs: BAEC Gold life/ GGL and U2 plus
Posts: 91
Just trying to book an arrival Express test but wont let me complete the form with a Scottish post code , Scottish rules on Day 2 trsting may not have been updted but that should not effect a LHR arrival any ideas or have I misbented the form ?
Dec 29, 2021, 1:49 pm
#53
Join Date: Oct 2005
Programs: BA GGL & GfL, AA LTP, Marriott (sigh) Ambassador, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,229
FYI today i landed from LAX and had booked a 1330 T5 day 2 PCR. due to favorable winds we landed at 1140 and i was at the test site at 1220 and was scanned and tested immediately, no problem.
they claim results back by tomorrow 10pm, but overall happy with the experience--i did luck out though because when i booked there were minimal slots available due to the christmas rush.
they claim results back by tomorrow 10pm, but overall happy with the experience--i did luck out though because when i booked there were minimal slots available due to the christmas rush.
Dec 29, 2021, 3:47 pm
#54
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: London
Posts: 778
I wonder why they do not offer a quick turnaround on day 2 arrivals PCRs, at a premium. Their next-day turnaround is just not competitive for business travellers. I would be very happy to use their services (as I did in the past) and get my test on arrival at T5, but I have no intention of waiting 24+ hours in isolation when I can just get a PCR in central London with a 4 to 6 hour guaranteed turnaround.
Dec 30, 2021, 6:53 am
#55
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK.
Programs: SQ LPPS, A3 *G, BA Silver aiming for Bronze
Posts: 1,506
Given that all this testing was reinstated because of Omicron, it's well passed time it was withdrawn again and at the very most the day two lateral flow left in place given how the Omicron mutation is now circulating in the UK - probably more than the place you are coming from by the figures.
Dec 30, 2021, 7:04 am
#56
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 297
Outbound: drive through at reading select car leasing football stadium. Arrived 1 hour before booked time. No issues. Results by about 1700 next day.
inbound: I got swabbed at 8 am on Tuesday morning in T5 arrivals and results back at 1900 yesterday.
Overall good service. No issues. £70-80 is about right. It’s not cost but it’s not a scalping either.
inbound: I got swabbed at 8 am on Tuesday morning in T5 arrivals and results back at 1900 yesterday.
Overall good service. No issues. £70-80 is about right. It’s not cost but it’s not a scalping either.
Dec 30, 2021, 7:05 am
#57
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 297
I wonder why they do not offer a quick turnaround on day 2 arrivals PCRs, at a premium. Their next-day turnaround is just not competitive for business travellers. I would be very happy to use their services (as I did in the past) and get my test on arrival at T5, but I have no intention of waiting 24+ hours in isolation when I can just get a PCR in central London with a 4 to 6 hour guaranteed turnaround.
we’ve had to be very canny about flight times, annual leave and getting to work as wfh is not an option for us at all.
Dec 30, 2021, 7:33 am
#58
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 366
Not quite express, but I paid £34.99 for a PCR self-test kit from Randox (saving £20 by clicking ad collecting instead of attending a test centre), dropped the sample into a local Randox drop box outside a test centre (for NI dwellers, it was the one in Holywood) around 1600 on December 24th and received the result by email at 0240 on December 25th: I had paid for the 36 hour service and got the result in around 10.5 hours. Randox labs are working 24/7 and apparently samples dropped into the drop box outside the lab in Crumlin (County Antrim) will get the result by email in around 3 hours.
Dec 30, 2021, 8:10 am
#59
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 228
Used LHR T4 long stay carpark drive through for PCR test for S. Africa. Appointment 1020 but tested at 0930 as was quiet. No issues, all went smoothly.
Received results 30+ hours later at 1700 yesterday.
It was way too long for me to wait, I was really anxious all day.
I naively thought the earlier the test the earlier the results could come through, eg with the tests perhaps broken down into early morning tests and then afternoon tests, but it didn’t seem to make any difference.
In future I will pay for a 3hr PCR test but will take it the day before to lessen the faffing around on the departure day.
Received results 30+ hours later at 1700 yesterday.
It was way too long for me to wait, I was really anxious all day.
I naively thought the earlier the test the earlier the results could come through, eg with the tests perhaps broken down into early morning tests and then afternoon tests, but it didn’t seem to make any difference.
In future I will pay for a 3hr PCR test but will take it the day before to lessen the faffing around on the departure day.
Dec 30, 2021, 9:59 am
#60
Join Date: Jun 2021
Posts: 16
Hey guys, FYI collinson's are doing same day results if tests completed by 6pm at Heathrow.The below was from their twitter team a couple of days ago. 'This is usually £99, but currently going for £79.20. For more information, please visit: https://t.co/IzoUqF04Yu. Leah' HH777