Covid research 'nightmare' for Christmas and New Year travelers to the Canary Islands

Families booked on holidays in the Canary Islands face the need to pay hundreds of pounds for coronavirus examinations, with Christmas guests unsure about having the paperwork they need.

The Spanish Ministry of Health has decreed, from 23 November, that holidaymakers from the United Kingdom must arrive with evidence of a negative outcome from the test taken in the previous 72 hours.

As used by the NHS, the only suitable certificate is for a PCR exam, the "gold standard" of testing. Although in both active terminals, Heathrow has a testing center with results within an hour, they are not applicable to the Spanish authorities.

Tests must be privately sourced, costing upwards of £ 125; clinics offering a physician-led plan and quicker turnarounds will cost considerably more.

• Mega labs will open in early 2021, doubling the potential of the government to test

• New travel advice for Canary Islands holidays

• How to obtain a Covid PCR test to travel overseas

Although residents of England and Wales are currently barred from holidays abroad, it is proposed that from 3 December this restriction will be relaxed. Over Christmas and the New Year, tens of thousands of individuals have booked journeys, as the sequence of public holidays makes research unpredictable.

"Sarah Partington, who was booked on 27 December to travel to Lanzarote, tweeted: "As nothing says Xmas like a £ 450 (three people) Xmas Eve Covid test with no guarantee of results back on Boxing Day, they have canceled again.

Travel anticipation is as thrilling as travel itself. Everything's gone.'

Another holidaymaker contacted us to say she was due to travel on Boxing Day to Tenerife. This will mean taking the exam on the evening of Thursday, December 23rd, without expecting to get the results before going on vacation. For those flying on 26, 27, 28 and 29 December, it will certainly be the same.

"Are you aware of any potential amendments to the Christmas season rules? ”

We have been finding answers from the two leading tour operators, Tui and Jet2, as well as from the UK's Spanish tourist office.

Only Tui has replied so far. A spokesperson said: "We are working on a solution closely with our supplier Randox and will update clients accordingly."

The Canary Islands currently require arriving travelers staying in officially registered accommodation to have a simple and inexpensive antigen test performed. That is meaningless to most UK holidaymakers since they are unable to fly. But from next Monday, the existing requirement will be superseded by the stipulations of the Spanish Government.

Holidaymakers who have booked trips are not legally entitled to change or cancel a refund because no checks have been needed.