U.S. Customs and Border Protection (US CBP) has chosen Stockholm Arlanda Airport for the introduction of US preclearance. The gateway is one of ten new airports to be selected.
Preclearance enables US-bound travellers to undergo immigration and custom inspections prior to departure, aiming to streamline border procedures upon arrival. Currently the US CBP offers preclearance to passengers arriving from fifteen airports, including Dublin and Abu Dhabi International.
According to studies performed by Swedavia, over 70% of current US passengers support the implementation of US preclearance. Discussion between Swedish and US CBP authorities will now take place to approve the preclearance and ease connections between Sweden and the United States.
In 2014 roughly 650,000 people travelled between Sweden and the United States. Five direct routes are currently served between the two countries, with two more planned to start this autumn. The addition of US preclearance will provide a smoother travel experience and strengthen conditions for more direct connections.
“US preclearance strengthens Stockholm Arlanda Airport’s role as the hub for aviation in Scandinavia,” said Torborg Chetkovich, Group CEO of the airport’s operator Swedavia. “Our application has been greatly supported by both the Swedish Government and the business world, and we will now move ahead with full speed in order to attract more direct routes to Stockholm Arlanda Airport.”
The construction process for the US preclearance facility, which will be implemented in the lower level of the F-pier in Terminal 5, is estimated to take one to one and a half years. The focus on US preclearance is part of Swedavia’s ongoing development plan, which will see SEK13 billion (€1.4bn) invested in Stockholm Arlanda Airport’s facilities.
According to studies performed by Swedavia, over 70% of current US passengers support the implementation of US preclearance. Discussion between Swedish and US CBP authorities will now take place to approve the preclearance and ease connections between Sweden and the United States.
