Gatwick Airport’s new rapid £60 Covid tests website crashes after huge demand

GATWICK Airport's rapid Covid testing website CRASHED hours after launching yesterday.

Bosses at ExpressTest UK have apologised after people were unable to book the £60 tests blaming a surge in demand.

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From December 15, passengers arriving in England will have the option to take a coronavirus test after five-days of self-isolation.

If the result comes back negative, they will no longer need to quarantine.

The testing centre at Gatwick - the UK's second busiest airport behind Heathrow - is due to open on Monday and is available to the public, passengers and staff.

However, ExpressTest UK said people had problems with bookings "due to high volumes".

And one woman told the BBC the website had crashed and she had been kept on hold "for hours.";

Caroline Uttley said here was "no communication" and her emails were not replied to when she tried to book on Friday - the day the site was launched.

She called it "absolutely shambolic, based on the way it has been sold to encourage us to travel now".

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Tests for passengers and airport staff will cost £60 while the general public will be charged £99.

ExpressTest UK says result will be emailed or texted to customers "typically the next day".

A spokesman said: "We would like to apologise to those customers who have not been able to make a booking today [Saturday] or yesterday due to the high volumes were we currently experiencing to our website and call centre."

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