SOUTHEND Airport could become a test centre with bosses eyeing up the possibility of passengers using self testing kits before departing the country.

Flyers could be asked to use a coronavirus testing kit and wait for a result on the day before flying from Southend Airport, if Stobart boss Glyn Jones’ idea comes to fruition.

Mr Jones, CEO of Stobart Air, told the Echo the airport has the capability of offering a full self testing programme, but this depends on whether the test results are reliable and can be obtained quickly.

He believes this is the way forward for boosting air travel.

Mr Jones said: “We need a departure based testing scheme. This could be done at the airport.

“The tests need to be 100 per cent reliable and rapid.

“Passengers can’t be waiting around for an hour for results.

“We will need international co-operation for it to work. The tests need to be accepted and verified both in the UK and abroad.”