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What is the point of having US immigation pre clearance in Shannon and Dublin?

  • 15-05-2009 5:25pm
    #1
    vorbis
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,525 ✭✭✭


    People used to tell me that this was an "advantage" over other airports. Honestly, I find it a significant disadvantage. You have to turn up another hour earlier for your flight and the line is usually quite long (at least in Shannon). Conversely I have flown back to Boston through London and Mexico and done the whole immigration step in Boston.

    I found it much smoother. Fill out the forms on the plane. Do the immigration step BEFORE collecting your bags (makes a lot of sense). That time spent queueing you would have spent waiting for your bags anyway. There might be times it gets really busy but every time I've been through I've waited under 15 minutes. Then get your bags and waltz through customs.

    Explain to me how pre clearance is a better option!??


Comments

  • #2
    Agent Smith
    Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 21,504 Mod ✭✭✭✭Agent Smith


    i take it you havent been on a 13 hr flight and then had to queue for 2hrs in immigation .


  • #3
    highlydebased
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,472 ✭✭✭highlydebased


    vorbis wrote: »
    People used to tell me that this was an "advantage" over other airports. Honestly, I find it a significant disadvantage. You have to turn up another hour earlier for your flight and the line is usually quite long (at least in Shannon). Conversely I have flown back to Boston through London and Mexico and done the whole immigration step in Boston.

    I found it much smoother. Fill out the forms on the plane. Do the immigration step BEFORE collecting your bags (makes a lot of sense). That time spent queueing you would have spent waiting for your bags anyway. There might be times it gets really busy but every time I've been through I've waited under 15 minutes. Then get your bags and waltz through customs.

    Explain to me how pre clearance is a better option!??

    Nobody is making you do it- fly through Heathrow if you find it more convenient


  • #4
    Delta Kilo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,212 ✭✭✭Delta Kilo


    I think it is much better doing the security in Shannon and Dublin. I know cases are extremely rare but I would prefer to be refused entry while still in Ireland as opposed to after a 10 hour flight!


  • #5
    FlutterinBantam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,575 ✭✭✭✭FlutterinBantam


    If you ever have flown in from Montego Bay to JFK and four hours later you are still in an immigration queue,you will know the advantage.

    It allows you to make tighter connections and get the formalities over in a controlled environment rather than being stranded in say JFK because of a missed connection.

    Elementary actually.


  • #6
    *Kol*
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,549 ✭✭✭*Kol*


    There is a lot to be said for just walking out of the airport in the US without having to go through immigration. Especially if you have a connecting fligt. It's much quicker. Maybe doesn't suit everybody but has made it easier for me in the past.


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  • #7
    FlutterinBantam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,575 ✭✭✭✭FlutterinBantam


    :confused:

    Why would it not suit everybody???

    (unless they had sommat to hide? ;))


  • #8
    Celtic Mech
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 246 ✭✭Celtic Mech


    Nothing worse than the days before the immigration pre-clearance...land in JFK and be stuck behind about 5 747 loads of passengers all waiting to go thru immigration!!
    In my opinion it is a great advantage of pre-clearing in Dublin or Shannon. It may hold you up an hour or so on a bad day, but when i get over to the States i want to get to my hotel asap and get out and about and enjoy myself...much better to do that a few hours earlier than i would if i had to stand in a packed immigration hall in an airport!!


  • #9
    garbanzo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 743 ✭✭✭garbanzo


    As per others. You've obviously never queued. Worst experience in the wurr-deld.


  • #10
    *Kol*
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,549 ✭✭✭*Kol*


    FlutterinBantam wrote: »
    :confused:

    Why would it not suit everybody???

    (unless they had sommat to hide? ;))

    By that I mean that I am normally in a hurry to get a connecting flight. If you are not under any time pressure then maybe it would make no difference whether the clearance was in the states. That's all. Nothing sinister.


  • #11
    LadyTBolt
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 474 ✭✭LadyTBolt


    Delta Kilo wrote: »
    I know cases are extremely rare but I would prefer to be refused entry while still in Ireland as opposed to after a 10 hour flight!

    I know of a couple who went to the US on their honeymoon. When they arrived the husband was refused entry due to a minor incident he had many years previous in the US, so minor he had forgotten all about it. I can only imagine at that point and time 'Divorce' was floating around the head of his new wife. Had this happened in Shannon or Dublin it wouldn't have been so bad but to be turned around in the US, just married, is a 100 times worse than waiting in a 2hour long queue in Ireland, IMO.


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