US customs create further delays for Dublin Airport’s Terminal 2

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New Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport

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Despite the official opening of Dublin Airport's new Terminal 2 this coming Friday U.S. customs have decided not to begin operating their U.S. customs and border facilities at the location until January.

Come January Terminal 2 will be the second airport in Ireland to operate U.S. pre-clearance immigration facilities making traveling to the United States a lot easier.

“The United States customs and border protection authorities have indicated they will transfer operations into Terminal 2 in the new year and we have realigned our transition plans to reflect this,” Aer Lingus said this week.

Shannon began using full U.S. pre-clearance facilities last year, which has been hailed a success by airline operators and travelers.

The new facility at Terminal two will now allow passengers to undergo customs, immigration and agricultural checks at Dublin airport.

Upon clearance visitors will be considered U.S. domestic passengers and will not required to endure long queues and thorough checks upon arriving in the U.S.

Currently, passengers traveling through Dublin Airport undergo U.S. immigration clearance but have to queue to clear customs and agriculture inspections when they arrive in the U.S.

The new terminal at Dublin Airport cost close to $1.7 billion. It is capable of comfortably handling up to 15 million passengers each year.

The terminal is designed to meet the needs of both long-haul and short-haul passengers and airlines.

The terminal, a 75,000 square meter building, was designed by Pascall + Watson Architects.

It can hold up to 19 aircrafts.

The overall Terminal two project also included a new multi-story parking facility, improved internal roads, utility upgrades and the provision of sites for a new ground transportation centre and a future metro station. 



The majority of long-haul carriers will move to Terminal two including Aer Lingus, which will relocate all its operations, both long- and short-haul, to the terminal.

Aer Lingus, according to a Bloomberg report, will try to compete with the four U.S. airlines that will also operate out of the new terminal by offering them the ability to pass through U.S. customs and immigration in Dublin, thus allowing them to walk straight into the U.S. once they land.

Construction of Terminal Two began on 1 October 2007 and is to be officially opened on Friday.

it was confirmed that Etihad Airways would operate the first scheduled flights from T2 to Abu Dhabi from November 23rd.

The new terminal is expected to create 400 new jobs in the retail outlets based there.

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