One of the UK’s biggest PCR testing companies is under investigation by the competition watchdog following a series of complaints by customers.

Expert Medicals faces allegations that tests and results were not provided in a timely manner, or at all in some cases, bosses failed to respond to complaints and refunds were not issued, according to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

The watchdog also revealed it has written to a further 19 testing firms telling them they must stop advertising misleading prices or face legal action under consumer protection laws.

CMA officials revealed Expert Medicals has been the subject of a high number of complaints, both to Citizens Advice and themselves, and has been removed from the Government’s list of testing providers.

Those appearing on the list must self-declare that they meet the Government’s minimum standards for Covid-19 testing.

Last week ministers announced they would be advising 82 companies they face being removed from the Gov.uk list if they advertise misleading prices.

Of the 19 firms warned directly by the CMA, the organisation said it was concerned the businesses “falsely advertise tests at very low prices when they are either not available at that price or include hidden conditions, such as where the tests must be collected from”.

Reporting by agencies

Ethiopian Airlines will resume Boeing 737 Max flights by January 2022, flying the aircraft for the first time since it was involved in a deadly crash in March 2019.

Chief Executive Officer Tewolde GebreMariam is convinced “beyond reasonable doubt” that the jet is safe after modifications.

“I can confirm that we are committed to the Boeing 737 Max,” the CEO said, reports Bloomberg.

“My estimate is by the end of the calendar year or beginning of next year, January, we will be flying the airplane.”

It follows the airline reaching an out-of-court settlement with the US planemaker over the crash that killed 157 people.

“We have settled our case with Boeing, that’s why we are now starting the process to fly back the airplane,” Tewolde said. “This happened in the last three months. We are happy on the settlement.”

British Airways passengers flying short haul from Gatwick should notice no difference when a new, lower-cost subsidiary is in operation.

BA insists travellers will “continue to benefit from the same full standard of service that they currently receive”.

Since the coronavirus pandemic began, BA has grounded all domestic and European flights from Gatwick.

Last week the airline confirmed it is in talks with unions about an independent offshoot – leading to speculation about the likely size and shape of the operation.

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Dominic Raab has said he wants Pakistan removed from the government’s red list for travel restrictions.

The Foreign Secretary told a press conference in the country that the UK understands “this is a sensitive issue”.

Pakistan was put on the red list on April 9 due to concerns about the risk of travellers importing new variants of coronavirus into the UK. This means that people arriving from the country into the UK must spend 11 nights in a quarantine hotel, costing £2,285 per solo traveller.

There have been calls for Pakistan to be moved to the lower-risk amber list, as neighbour India was on August 8. Mr Raab said: “We base our decision on the technical evidence, the scientific basis.

“I understand that is often contested, which is all the more reason why it’s good that the Pakistan special adviser to Prime Minister (Imran) Khan will be holding expert level talks with UK public health authorities.

“We want to find a way through, no-one wants Pakistan off the red list more than I do, but we take these decisions at a technical level.

“I think the smart thing for us to do is work together to enable that to happen as soon, as safely and as responsibly as it can be done.”

A leading travel industry strategist who has made a forensic analysis of the UK’s “red list” policy is calling for ministers to change the rules.

At present 63 countries, including Turkey, Brazil and South Africa, are on the highest risk register. The government says high Covid rates, the presence of “variants of concern” and lack of genomic surveillance capability are the factors that lead to red listing.

Arrivals from those countries must foot the bill for £2,285 for 11 nights in mandatory hotel quarantine.

But Robert Boyle, former director of strategy for the airline group IAG, says he can see no justification for “locking people up in hotels at great expense”.

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British travellers can now receive in-journey updates to their phones through the messaging app WhatsApp.

Industry body the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) said travellers can get tailored information about disruption, alternative routes and how busy carriages are expected to be through the messaging app.

RDG chief executive Jacqueline Starr said: “As people working from home begin commuting to their place of work again, we want to ensure they’re able to travel with confidence, which is why we are providing passengers access to personalised journey information via the channels they use the most.

“Customers who use the National Rail Alert Me service and travel frequently, or decide to take a less busy train if their chosen service is predicted to be busy, could get themselves a free drink or snack as part of a retail pilot that we’re exploring as one of the ways to incentivise people back to rail.”

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Mauritius is to relax some of its travel restrictions after reaching its desired level of ‘herd immunity’.

The island nation reached its targeted vaccination rate, 60 per cent of the population, on 30 August.

Vaccinated travellers will now only be required to spend seven days in a ‘resort bubble’ hotel, as opposed to the previous stipulation of 14 days.

From 1 October, Covid curbs are relaxed further, allowing visitors to explore Mauritius from the moment they arrive as long as they submit a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours before their arrival.

As we tentatively begin to travel again, testing positive for Covid while abroad is an uncomfortable reality. But what should you do if it happens to you?

It goes without saying that individual rules and guidelines on which healthcare providers and authorities to notify vary from country to country.

But we’ve rounded up the official advice for UK travellers who develop Covid symptoms or produce a positive test while on holiday.

Read our full explainer:

A leading UK travel agent has said it still sees a future in the high street, despite previous failures from the likes of Thomas Cook.

Dame Irene Hays, owner of Hays Travel, said the brand’s 450 physical shops had seen plenty of customer interest as travellers sought out face-to-face advice.

She told a Travel Weekly webcast: “We still see a future in the high street and we still see digital and virtual developing at the same time.

“That’s been the case for a long time but the pandemic might have slowed down online a little. It would be naive to think it’s not going to continue to grow so we’ll continue to watch how they both develop.

“At the moment, we’re committed to the high street. If the high street wasn’t working, we would respond.”

Airbnb owners are charging over 100 per cent more to stay at their properties during the festival season, according to new research by money.co.uk.

The study investigated the average nightly price of rentals on Airbnb over the dates and locations of the UK’s biggest festivals throughout 2021. The prices were then compared to the corresponding dates of the previous week to reveal which festivals increase Airbnb prices the most.

TRNSMT Festival sees Airbnb hosts in Glasgow charging more than twice as much for their rental properties (104.67 per cent increase) during the festival in comparison to the week before. TRNSMT is a non-camping festival, meaning alternative accommodation has to be found.

In second place was Parklife. Like TRNSMT, Parklife is a festival taking place in a city-centre location with no camping available; Airbnbs in Manchester saw a 90.53 per cent increase in rental prices.

Tramlines followed in third position. The Sheffield based festival saw Airbnb rentals increasing their prices from £132 the week before the festival to £185 during the event, as once again no camping facilities were offered.