Linking Cardiff and New York

I must have suggested a couple of times in CD-Traveller that one of the improvements to speed up the live of travellers would be to go through US passport control in our countries before we head off to the US.
To me it’s a no-brainer for the temper of passengers and it would help the ever so slightly unfair images that US passport control has particularly when it can regularly take an hour to clear their lines and sometimes two.

A friend of mine was flying to New York for a wedding. Instead of putting up with Heathrow he flew from Cardiff to Dublin, went through US passport control there and then went on to New York. Instead of the 45 minute line (his timings which must have been on a good day!) he had experienced before at New York’s JFK airport, it took him minutes – h says no more than 5 – in Dublin and nothing at New York. From his e-mail to me he seems to be suggesting this is the only way to fly to the US allowing to retain any sanity orpeace of mind.

From the advert you can see that Aer Lingus view this as a good selling point. And they’re right, it is

If Ireland can arrange an agreement like this why can’t we operate a system where US passport control is based in our relevant airports and British passport control staff are based in US airports that have flights to the UK.

It’s one thing that could encourage greater travel between the two countries

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