BA’s London City customers to breeze through JFK

Customers on British Airways' new business-class service from London City to New York will be able to clear customs and immigration at Shannon Airport before arriving in the US. The west Ireland airport is the first European airport to be granted pre-clearance facilities for transatlantic services to the US.

The announcement was made this month in Shannon by Irish Transport Minister Noel Dempsey ahead of a formal signing of the agreement in Washington.

This unique development means they will be allowed to bypass the normal arrivals checks when they land at JFK and speed straight through the airport.

British Airways is to launch the twice-daily business class service between London City and New York in autumn 2009. Eastbound flights will be non-stop.

Robert Boyle, British Airways commercial director, said: "The introduction of pre-clearance facilities at Shannon will mean customers on our business-class flights from London City to New York will be able to bypass the normal customs and immigration checks on arrival in the US.

"Many city workers will be able to get from desk to aircraft in as little as 30 minutes at London City. Now it will be more convenient than ever to travel from desk to desk from London City to New York, in unrivalled comfort and style."

Flights will be operated by Airbus A318, the largest aircraft that can take-off and land at London City airport. The service will be the first longhaul route operated from the Docklands airport.

The aircraft will offer a one-cabin business class product with 32 flat-bed seats. Customers will also be able to enjoy a specially designed business class onboard service.

On the ground, customers will be able to arrive at the airport up to 15 minutes before departure. This combined with the ability to by pass the usual arrivals checks in New York makes it the most convenient way for people travelling between the heart of the City of London and New York.

British Airways operates 10 flights per day between Heathrow and New York and a new daily service from Gatwick, giving British Airways customers the biggest choice of flights between the world's two biggest business centres.