Call for US border at Edinburgh Airport to boost economy

A border between the UK and the USA should be established in Edinburgh airport, say Alba Party. 

Several Irish and Canadian cities have "preclearance" facilities on site, which allow passengers travelling to the US to go through customs and immigration before boarding the plane.

Alba Party’s Holyrood leader says adopting the same approach at Edinburgh airport would create a “great opportunity” to boost direct connectivity with America. 

Preclearance allows passengers to leave the airport immediately after disembarking from their planes, avoiding travelling through customs and immigration after a long-haul flight. 

It also means passengers can book easy connections through American airports from Edinburgh, which would let them avoid the hassle of rechecking bags and going through security.

Edinburgh has more connections to the US than any other airport in Scotland, with direct flights to New York, Chicago, Washington DC, Boston and Atlanta, however Dublin Airport has a much wider range of links. 

Alba say that precleared flights departing from the Edinburgh could use domestic gates at American airports, letting airlines avoid the logistical and financial struggle for the scarce supply of international slots available.

Customs preclearance already exists in the UK, but it is limited to rail travel to France through the Channel Tunnel.

Launching the scheme would require the signing of an agreement between the US and UK governments.

Commenting Alba Party Holyrood leader Ash Regan MSP said: 

"We can see the benefits of pre clearance when we look at Dublin airport. Scotland has been constantly growing our direct American connectivity over the previous years and this would be a great opportunity to further boost links between both countries. 

"Building a preclearance facility would likely give Edinburgh Airport a competitive advantage over other UK airports. If Scotland were an independent country we could get on with establishing a relationship like this by ourselves, however right now we need the Home Office to step up and not hold Scotland back from boosting key economic and cultural links with the United States."