PASSENGERS flying to America from Edinburgh Airport could soon be fast-tracked through US customs.
Scotland’s busiest airport has been selected by US officials as one of 11 possible new sites for expansion of their pre-clearance operations.
Passengers who use pre-clearance have their passports checked by immigration officials and cleared by customs for entry into the United States at their departure airport, meaning they are not subject to further checks once their flight arrives.
Read more: ScotRail to publish list of busiest services after outcry over cancellations and delays
Edinburgh is the latest UK airport to be considered for pre-clearance after London Heathrow and Manchester were identified as priority locations for expansion in May 2015.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner R Gil Kerlikowske said: “Pre-clearance has proven to be a valuable tool for CBP, foreign airports, the aviation industry, and most importantly, the traveller, who benefits from shorter wait times.”
More than 11 million passengers passed through Edinburgh Airport last year – the busiest on record at a Scottish airport.
Read more: ScotRail to publish list of busiest services after outcry over cancellations and delays
A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said: “We are delighted that Edinburgh has been named as the only UK airport invited to participate in this phase of the US Government pre-clearance programme.”
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