In the clearUS pre-clearance has historic Shannon Airport punching above its weight

Words | Shannon Airpor t

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^It may not be one of the biggest international airports in terms of size, but Shannon

Airport continues to punch way above its weight, as evidenced by its latest offering – US pre-clearance. Caught against the ropes – like all other airports – battling one of the most challenging aviation environments ever, this proud airport on Ireland’s western seaboard has given itself a shot at a bright future after becoming, on August 5, 2009, the first airport outside of the USA, Canada and the Caribbean to land these facilities.

In essence, this service at Shannon enables passengers to pre-clear all formalities for US immigration, customs and agriculture, ensuring arrival in the USA is effortless and seamless.

Main image: Shannon Airport, IrelandLeft: The airport began offering US pre-clearance on August 5, 2009

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In the near future, Shannon expects to go one step further and become the first airport in the world to secure US pre-clearance for business aviation. This will give it a distinct edge – and a potentially powerful new revenue stream – over other airports targeting west-bound US business aircraft that require refueling and technical stops.

Avoiding delayFrom a commercial airline perspective, the service is already getting a ringing endorsement as Continental, Delta and US Airways are availing of this for their US-bound passengers, who on arrival in the USA are, as a result, treated as domestic passengers and avoid the normal lengthy delays associated with clearing through

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US international terminals. Si�ni���antl�� alsoSi�ni���antl�� also for Shannon, it has British Airwa��s ba�k on the runwa�� for the ��rst time sin�e the earl�� 1990s as a result of pre-�learan�e. The airline �iant has spe�i���all�� sele�ted Shannon for its te�hni�al transit stop on the luxurious London Cit��/JFK all-business servi�e so it �an take advanta�e of the servi�e.

“We have alread�� seen the value that Continental, Delta and US Airwa��s passen�ers are �ettin� from this; the feedba�k we are re�eivin� is phenomenal,” sa��s Joe Bu�kle��, business development mana�er at the airport. “British Airwa��s is the same; it is on re�ord as sa��in� it �ame here be�ause of pre-�learan�e. Be�ause of the short runwa�� at London Cit��, air�raft �ould not take off with a full fuel load. The�� �ould have landed at Bristol or somewhere else to refuel but �hose Shannon. Passen�ers have a 45-minute turnaround here and then have no dela��s when the air�raft lands in the USA.”

Business aviationBu�kle�� also sees enormous opportunit�� for extendin� the servi�e to business aviation, whi�h will happen in the near future. The airport has alread�� re�eived a hu�e number of enquiries from potential new �ustomers. “The possibilities“The possibilities for us from a business perspe�tive will be ver��

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Above: Shannon Airport boasts a 3,199m-long, 45m-wide asphalt runway, and 30 aircraft stands

Right: Shannon Airport offers all the perks of a commercial international

terminal – including shops, bureau de change, pubs, restaurants, car parking –

as well as executive lounge facilities and meeting rooms

Below: Passengers benefitting from US pre-clearance at Shannon Airport are treated

as domestic travelers on arrival in the USA

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significant. Essentially, any US-bound business aviation from the Middle East, Russia, even as far afield as the Far East, who needs to land in Europe for a tech stop, will want to come here as once they pre-clear they will be able to land at domestic terminals or domestic airports in the USA,” says Buckley. “This will create distinct advantages for them, including reducing their costs by landing at airports with lower charges, avoiding congestion and delays at international terminals, the potential for developing and creating new routing opportunities and airline partners, reducing connecting time for passengers for onward travel within the USA, and securing an efficient entry process on arrival.”

Buckley hopes the success of pre-clearance will also help the wider community. “The region here has been affected disproportionately by job losses in the downturn and pre-clearance is providing a chink of light in that regard,” he says. “If you look at hotels, for instance, they could reap significant benefits also. It will not be an instant build for them but there is certainly potential for this neck of the woods to become a major conferencing crossroads for US and European businesses. On its own, it is going to be hugely beneficial to US multinationals here who have people regularly coming in for meetings.” ]www.shannonairport.com

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History lessonsPut in the context of the history of this big-thinking, small(er) international airport, gaining US pre-clearance is merely in keeping with the airport’s quite remarkable record. In the 1940s it essentially became the first aviation gateway between Europe and the Americas and, on a lighter note, also made Irish coffee famous.

In 1950 it was another birthplace, when the first duty-free shop worldwide was opened by the man who was the inspiration behind so much of the success of the Shannon region, Dr Brendan O’Regan. The airport, again thanks to O’Regan’s pioneering, gave rise to the first ever tax-free industrial zone on its doorstep in Shannon town – something again that has been replicated the world over. Today over 7,000 people work in the Shannon

Free Zone, which boasts the largest cluster of North American companies in Ireland.

Indeed, the region has largely grown on the strength of the prolific seeds sown by O’Regan and a small band of fellow pioneers over the decades. Today it is the home of some of the most luxurious hotels and golf resorts in Europe, including

the regal Dromoland Castle, Adar Manor and the newly developed Doonbeg.

O’Regan, sadly, passed away in 2008 at the grand age of 91, but his can-do spirit lives on in the region and is splendidly manifest in the audacious bid to become the first airport outside of the North Americas, as it were, to get this privilege from the US authorities.

Above: Dr Brendan o’regan, behind much of the airport’s success