As from 31 December, the Belgian authorities now require a PCR test for Belgian residents returning from a red zone, and the test capacity at the airport is being increased to meet the anticipated surge in demand for tests.
As of today (1 January) it has been possible to take 300 tests per hour by deploying extra medical staff in the Test Centre. Together with the Test Centre’s partners, Ecolog and Eurofins, the testing capacity will increase further in the coming days.
On 2 January, a second test location will be available in the arrivals hall of the airport where arriving passengers can be tested. This will further increase the testing capacity to a total of around 500 passengers per hour. In the course of next week, a drive-in test facility will be set up at the airport to provide even more capacity.
On Saturday 2 January there will be 7,000 returning passengers, and on Sunday 3 January there will be 8,000. Returning passengers can only be tested at the airport with an activation code or text message from the government.
It is not an obvious task to realise this increase in capacity in such a short period of time during a holiday period, but the airport has been prioritising the safety and health of its passengers since the beginning of the crisis and is doing everything possible to realise this as soon as possible. However, despite the efforts made to systematically increase capacity over the next 24 and 48 hours, given the high number of passengers returning, there may be long waiting times for passengers if they decide to take this test at the airport.
The additional test site will have the same opening hours as the current Test Centre, and passengers will be able to get tested between 3.30 am and 12 pm. Passengers returning from a red zone who are affiliated to a Belgian health insurance will be able to have themselves tested free of charge, returning passengers without Belgian health insurance will pay the RIZIV rate (46.81 euro). Arriving passengers will receive their test result within 48 to 72 hours. For departing passengers who have themselves tested, the procedure does not change.
Anyone who wishes to get tested at the airport should register online in advance with their identity details and the government’s activation code. After the online registration you will receive a QR code with which you can come to the Test Centre for the test.
