BA London City – New York flights to clear US immigration at Shannon
23.07.08
British Airways is poised to announce details of its new business-only service from London City Airport to New York, which will use a stopover in Shannon to clear US immigration and customs Travel Weekly reports.
The length of the runway at London City means BA cannot use a larger aircraft, or take off fully laden with fuel, making a refuelling stop necessary on the outbound flight but not on the return flight to the UK from New York.The airline refuses to confirm that Shannon will be the stopover point, but insists passengers will be cleared for immigration before arriving in New York, which implies a stop in Shannon or Dublin, with Travel Weekly suggesting the former.
The service is due to launch in September 2009, operating twice a day using two reconfigured Airbus A318s with just 32 lie-flat beds. It will be the first long-haul operation from London City. The aircraft will require about 40 minutes on the ground, although no stop will be required on the way back.
The premium-only service will be aimed at corporate travellers based at Canary Wharf, where BA has HSBC and Barclays among its clients, and in the City of London. BA remains undecided on which New York airport to use; the airline has new facilities at JFK but also flies in to Newark.
BA believes it can succeed where every other business-only carrier from the UK has failed due to demand for services at London City, its better brand both in the UK and US, and the support of its regular flights in to Heathrow as a back up.
Head of corporate sales Richard Tams told the trade magazine: ‘We are very confident of filling the flights. There is frustration at having to wait until September next year. We can turn a stopover at Shannon into an advantage. Passengers will clear immigration and customs without getting off the aircraft. It is a very attractive proposition.’
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