Stephen Kavanagh: 'opens up opportunities'

Aer Lingus aims to lure passengers to Dublin airport by offering them the ability to pre-clear US customs and immigration before boarding flights.

Aer Lingus will start operating out of Dublin's new terminal on 23 November and expects the US government to have the facilities and staff in place to enable its passengers to clear customs and immigration at the airport by the first quarter of next year, according to Stephen Kavanagh, the airline's chief commercial officer.

"It will make a compelling product," Kavanagh said in an interview yesterday during the World Travel Market conference in London last week. "It opens up opportunities in North America because you can fly to any airport in North America, and you should never dismiss an opportunity."

Aer Lingus says the service may give it an edge over hub airports in the region. The facility would also allow Aer Lingus to consider flying directly to other 'non-gateway' cities in the US, said Kavanagh, though he added that no destinations have been decided.

Bloomberg