US ambassador to launch full pre-clearance facility

A new stream of income for Shannon Airport will be opened up next Monday when the US ambassador launches the full pre-inspection service for US-bound corporate jets.
The attendance of Dan Rooney, who will give official recognition and endorsement to a Shannon first in transatlantic aviation, was confirmed to Clare Fine Gael TD Pat Breen when he met with the ambassador in Dublin last week.
Holding a key position in the compilation of an EU-wide aviation review, Deputy Breen reckons that with 600 to 700 corporate jets crossing the Atlantic each week, up to 70 executive jets per day could be drawn to Shannon. But Deputy Breen is disturbed that his calls for “small money” Government funding to promote the pre-inspection has been fobbed off.
In the Dáil last week, Ceann Comhairle Deputy Michael Kirk ruled out a parliamentary question from the Clare TD which asked the Minister for Tourism Martin Cullen to outline the measures to be taken to promote the only US Customs and Border Protection pre-inspection outside the frontiers of the USA. In disallowing the question, the Ceann Comhairle ruled that the matter did not come under the responsibility of the tourism minister but instead came under the mandate of the Shannon Airport Authority.
“From next week, Shannon Airport will be the only airport in Europe through which corporate jets can avail of rapid turnaround emigration and customs clearance into the United States, which will make Shannon the aviation stepping stone into every airport in the USA, where an executive jet can touch down,” Deputy Breen said.
“But this breakthrough, which can be sold as an advantage that is exclusively available from Shannon and Ireland, does not seem to have sunk in with the Government. Instead, it would appear that once again, Shannon is being left to fly solo,” he added.
In thanking the US ambassador and the US authorities for bringing the corporate jets facility into operation, Deputy Breen said it was now essential to promote the value of a unique Shannon service. “What we are talking about is a marketing fund of around €200,000 and that expenditure can bring in returns which can be a lifeline for Shannon Airport.
“The clearance available through Shannon can put the airport back on the world aviation map for the big business sector in particular, which will have the bonus effect of calling attention to what Shannon has to offer to not only corporate America but also the high-flying multinationals based in Europe and the Middle East that can be attracted to avail of the CBP and thereby fly directly to their US destination rather than having to route through terminals where customs and immigration processing are available.”
With Shannon Development chief executive and recently appointed director on the Shannon Airport Authority, Dr Vincent Cunnane, stating last week that “Shannon cannot survive on passenger numbers alone”, Deputy Breen stated, “The pre-inspection for corporate jets is coming on stream at a critical time for Shannon Airport.
“Heading into what is being acknowledged as a difficult and uncertain year, the income from pre-inspection, which will be a cost-saver in ruling out second landings at high-fee US airports will be an enormous confidence-builder at Shannon because of the lucrative source of airport income which can now start to flow.”
Deputy Breen is calling on the investment promotion agencies, Shannon Development and the IDA to get in behind the promotion of the CBP corporate jets processing, which has already been instigated among the 500-member the Atlantic Way alliance of overseas and native enterprises along the western seaboard.
“Promotion through the worldwide network, that has proven successful for the IDA in bringing in investment, can be strengthened by selling the CBP advantages. That applies also to the later extension of pre-inspection to cargo which will be another boost of global significance to Shannon,” he said.