EasyJet offers passengers cheaper COVID-19 tests to encourage travel

LONDON (Reuters) - UK airline EasyJet said it would partner with COVID-19 testing companies to offer passengers discounted tests to try to encourage more travel, following similar moves by Wizz Air and London's Gatwick Airport.

Travel rules in England will change from Dec. 15 so that if a traveller receives a negative test result from a self-funded test, they can reduce their quarantine from 14 to 5 days.

Desperate to stimulate the travel market after months of restrictions, airlines and airports are teaming up with testing firms to make it easier and cheaper to get a test.

EasyJet, whose finances have come under severe pressure during the pandemic, said on Monday that passengers will receive a reduced rate of 75 pounds per home test with Confirm Testing or with CityDoc, 100 pounds per home test or 150 pounds per in clinic test.

The 75 pound rate is cheaper than the 85 pound rate available to Wizz Air passengers. Both are more expensive than Gatwick Airport's offer of 60 pounds per test for passengers who use its drive-through testing facility.

EasyJet said that the two companies it was working with aimed to provide results within 48 hours.

There is also demand for tests prior to travel as some popular destinations like Spain and Italy require passengers to show a negative test on arrival.

(Reporting by Sarah Young; Editing by Bernadette Baum)