Birmingham Passengers Can Now Fast Track to Washington Through Dublin
Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Stobart Air, has announced details of the newest phase of its transatlantic strategy, allowing Birmingham-based passengers to fast track their journey to the United States through Dublin.
From 1 May 2015, passengers flying out of Birmingham Airport will be able to travel Aer Lingus to Washington-Dulles Airport via the Dublin Airport transatlantic hub.
Completing pre-clearance at Dublin Airport—operated by US Customs and Border staff—means that on arrival in the United States, Birmingham passengers will be treated similarly to domestic passengers and avoid delays of up to two hours at security checks.
Ireland is the only country in Europe to offer passport and customs pre-clearance to destinations in the United States.
The Dublin—Washington route will operate four times weekly. Passengers will be able to fly in the airline’s newly launched Business Class, featuring award-winning cabin service and luxurious reclining sleeper seats.
From summer 2015, Aer Lingus will also operate daily flights from Dublin to San Francisco and four weekly flights from Dublin to Orlando, which will allow greater flexibility for passengers travelling from Birmingham.
Commenting on this announcement, Simon Fagan, Chief Commercial Officer at Stobart Air, said:
“We are very pleased to continue facilitating our Birmingham-based customers with alternative routes to the United States. This service is designed to save passengers from Birmingham time on their transatlantic travel. Now local business and leisure passengers can travel to the American capital of Washington with greater speed and ease.”
William Pearson, Aviation Development Director at Birmingham Airport, said:
“Aer Lingus Regional operates several flights a day to Dublin from Birmingham, so this announcement is great news for our passengers, who can now fast-track their journey to the United States. This new service to Washington, via Dublin, gives Birmingham passengers even greater choice when looking to book flights to the USA.”