Several foreign airports have US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Preclearance facilities, where you clear immigration prior to boarding your US-bound flight. I recently flew Aer Lingus from Dublin (DUB) to Boston (BOS), and Ireland is the only country in Europe to have such a facility.
I’ve been through these facilities several times before, but there were a couple of things I found strange, and I’m curious if anyone has any insights.
In this post:
Bags get extra security screening, but not people?
At US Preclearance facilities, it’s common to have to clear security through a dedicated checkpoint before you pass through US immigration. These security checkpoints are typically separate from the standard security checkpoints at the airport, and I’ve been through these many times before, at airports like Abu Dhabi (AUH), Nassau (NAS), Toronto (YYZ), etc.
However, the security screening in Dublin was different than what I’ve seen before. After entering the Preclearance facility, most passengers have to go through a security screening process (in addition to whichever one they previously went through, whether it was in Dublin or at another airport).
But here’s what I can’t make sense of — all bags had to be placed onto an x-ray machine and be screened, while there was no metal detector or body scanning machine. So while all bags were thoroughly screened (including needing to remove laptops), passengers weren’t checked in any way.
That… ummm… doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me, so what am I missing? If you’re carrying anything prohibited, you’d simply keep it on your person, rather than in your bag. Is this actually an approved screening method, are they running a rogue operation, or what’s going on?
Perhaps the US thinks that a European Union airport is up to the standard screening requirements for the US, so perhaps as thorough of a screening isn’t needed. But what’s the point of doing any screening if it’s literally only of bags and not of a person? And for what it’s worth, this wasn’t some sort of agricultural screening (as you might find in Hawaii), based on the things that had to be removed from bags.
Some people get to skip the security checkpoint altogether?
Here’s the second element to this security screening that surprised me. As you enter the US Preclearance facility in Dublin, your boarding pass is checked.
A vast majority of the passengers seemed to be directed to the standard security line, while a small percentage of passengers were directed straight into the immigration queue, bypassing the security check.
Pardon my curiosity, but does anyone know what’s going on here? For what it’s worth, it’s not like I had “SSSS” on my boarding pass, or anything, so it’s not that the security line was for those who needed secondary screening.
I tried to ask one of the people working there what the situation was, but I didn’t get a good answer. It doesn’t matter in any way, but this one stumped me — I thought I fully understood how US Preclearance facilities work, but this one was unlike the others that I’ve experienced.
Bottom line
While I’ve traveled through US Preclearance facilities many times before, the Dublin experience was different than I remember, particularly with the security check.
It’s standard to have to go through a dedicated security checkpoint for US-bound flights, but here only bags were scanned, and not people, which just seems odd. Furthermore, some people were able to skip that completely.
Since Ireland has the only Preclearance facilities in the European Union, my theory is that maybe screening doesn’t have to be as stringent as it does at other airports. That being said, I’d still love to understand if this is actually how the system is intended to work, or what was going on here.
Can anyone make sense of the quirks of the Dublin Preclearance facility?
I still think this was a customs screening. As part of the US's willingness to trust foreign security on a reciprocal basis (eg: the LHR pilot), it makes sense that the body scanners have gone, but the bag check always doubled as a customs screening and has remained.
I agree you could be concealing something on your person, but consider arrivals into the US where bag searches are quite common (in my experience) but searches...
I still think this was a customs screening. As part of the US's willingness to trust foreign security on a reciprocal basis (eg: the LHR pilot), it makes sense that the body scanners have gone, but the bag check always doubled as a customs screening and has remained.
I agree you could be concealing something on your person, but consider arrivals into the US where bag searches are quite common (in my experience) but searches of of your person they're quite rare.
Removing laptops doesn't make much sense, but did you ALSO have to do all the other TSA-style stuff (3-1-1 bag, etc)? If you didn't, then I'd speculate CBP just think removing laptops makes their life easier to spot potential contraband. And if you did, I'd speculate that there has been a failure to engage logic, which would not be unprecedented ;-)
It's bizarre that Ireland has two airports with pre-clearance. Ireland is not an ally of the United States. It isn't in NATO, etc. You would think, of all European countries, that the UK would have pre-clearance.
Being an Ally is NEVER a criteria. If it were the UAE wouldn't be there either.
It's all about money. Ireland paid to get the "cooperation>"
What are you two going on about?
If Ireland isn’t a US ally who is?
The US and UAE have a deep relationship with the US having army bases in the country.
The 2 catholic presidents signed deals with fenian governments to get them special treatment for nothing in return.
I found the pre clearance really annoying.
Recently did LIS-DUB-ORD FR to EI. Had to clear Irish immigration and customs so I guess it looked like I was originating at DUB.
Wish I had realised there were no services beyond the pre clearance, unlike YYZ or YUL. Hard to guess how long I would have hung out in the lounge or shopped for whisky.
Then there are so many layers; a boarding...
I found the pre clearance really annoying.
Recently did LIS-DUB-ORD FR to EI. Had to clear Irish immigration and customs so I guess it looked like I was originating at DUB.
Wish I had realised there were no services beyond the pre clearance, unlike YYZ or YUL. Hard to guess how long I would have hung out in the lounge or shopped for whisky.
Then there are so many layers; a boarding pass scan upstairs, another one downstairs, then the immigration officer themselves. And you’re separated from your checked luggage anyway so not sure where they are screening that.
On this day almost no one was sent to that additional security screening area.
At Munich Airport, a similar thing happened. There appeared to be a secondary passport control and security screening for flights departing for the US, but after passport control, my group (I was traveling in a group) was directed straight to the waiting area, without needing to go through security. Maybe it was because I was traveling in a group? I kind of found that strange to me.
Usually in Europe airports, the secondary screening for US flights is conducted on selectees of SSSS (random security search). It's not as common these days due to advancements in tracing methods, but it isn't unknown either.
It is my understanding that it is a liquids and agriculture check. Making sure you aren't bringing a large bottle of alcohol into the U.S. as you get let out in the domestic hall items prohibited in the US that you may have bought at the airport.
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskIreland/comments/1muepza/why_do_some_people_go_through_extra_security_at/
Looks like there is a reddit thread on this too!
From what I understand, it's for US Trusted Travelers that originated in Dublin (not connected). That is my take, but I am not 100% sure if it's fact.
I'm guessing it's for duty free so you don't sneak stuff into the US
No, that's unlikely the reason at all.
Besides, with duty free, depending on the airline and the airport, items may be delivered to the passenger at the time of purchase or at the boarding gate.
Only connecting passengers have to go through the additional check before CBP. If your journey starts in Dublin, you won’t have to do the the additional check.
@ Marko -- Interesting. I'm curious, how do they know if you're originating in Dublin? My connection was booked on a separate ticket, so do they stamp your boarding pass if you clear at the main checkpoint, or what?
If you clear security at Dublin, your boarding pass gets scanned before entering the security check. That's how they know if you clear DUB security or not.
But that's quite stupid since the two groups of passengers mix before going through the secondary check. So any bad actor could just hand the prohibited item to someone else cooperating with them and avoid the check.
My daughter lives in Dublin, so we've been many times, and when we first started going there (~2018 IIRC), everybody was screened a second time. But about 4-5 years ago I'd say they allowed Dublin originating people to bypass the second screening.
My guess: if you originate in Dublin, you (and your carryon and checked bags) all get screened at the DUB airpot, and I assume it is to the standards required by the...
My daughter lives in Dublin, so we've been many times, and when we first started going there (~2018 IIRC), everybody was screened a second time. But about 4-5 years ago I'd say they allowed Dublin originating people to bypass the second screening.
My guess: if you originate in Dublin, you (and your carryon and checked bags) all get screened at the DUB airpot, and I assume it is to the standards required by the US. At that point, you and your bags can go straight to the plane without further pre-clearance checks. If you connect through Dublin (but remain in the secured area) you, your carryon luggage, and your checked luggage would only have been screened at a different airport, and I'm guessing there are too many variables to ensure that the screening protocols at all of the different airports that connect through Dublin (and because Ryanair is based there, that includes a ton of airports) are sufficient for the US.
Skipping the extra security check may be correlated with being a member of a US trusted traveler program, so it's a TSA Precheck-like benefit. But that is probably not the only criterion.
@ putout -- I have PreCheck, and wasn't eligible for the line, so...
Do you get security scanned upon arrival at CBP in the US? Usually no, but some pax get asked to send bags for secondary screening....This is exaclty what's happening here. The Preclearance is a CBP facility run by US CBP personnel, not Irish security, so the processes reflect what would otherwise typically happen upon arrival into the US. They are mainly interested in contraband, which is primarily intelligence and exception based rather than physically inspecting...
Do you get security scanned upon arrival at CBP in the US? Usually no, but some pax get asked to send bags for secondary screening....This is exaclty what's happening here. The Preclearance is a CBP facility run by US CBP personnel, not Irish security, so the processes reflect what would otherwise typically happen upon arrival into the US. They are mainly interested in contraband, which is primarily intelligence and exception based rather than physically inspecting every passenger.
@ PDS -- If that's the case, this would be the only Preclearance facility I know of where that's how it works. Also keep in mind that part of the reason there's an extra security screening (at least as I understand it) is because you land in the US as a domestic passenger, and are let out airside.
If you were returning to the US and cleared CBP and had a connecting flight, you...
@ PDS -- If that's the case, this would be the only Preclearance facility I know of where that's how it works. Also keep in mind that part of the reason there's an extra security screening (at least as I understand it) is because you land in the US as a domestic passenger, and are let out airside.
If you were returning to the US and cleared CBP and had a connecting flight, you *would* have to go through security, and I was under the impression that was intended to reflect that.
It is interesting how each Preclearance facility handles things, often differently.
At AUA (Aruba), there are often huge lines outside (not fun if it's raining or super hot), just to get to exit immigration, then it's security, then passport control to 'enter' the US, often requiring a good 1-1.5 hours before you're in the secured area of the terminal.
AT YYZ, it's security, then immigration to 'enter' the US, that's it.
While DOH...
It is interesting how each Preclearance facility handles things, often differently.
At AUA (Aruba), there are often huge lines outside (not fun if it's raining or super hot), just to get to exit immigration, then it's security, then passport control to 'enter' the US, often requiring a good 1-1.5 hours before you're in the secured area of the terminal.
AT YYZ, it's security, then immigration to 'enter' the US, that's it.
While DOH and SIN (and many others) do not have preclearance, they do the additional security at the gate for US-bound flights.
And, of course, all this can change; new rules at any time. None of it is standardized, really. Odd.
There’s an additional security screening at the gate in MNL for United’s MNL-SFO nonstops with no bathrooms (or concessions) within the gate hold room area.
Simply put, if one needs to use the bathroom or wants to purchase a drink or snack while waiting to board the aircraft, they must exit the gate area & reclear security each time.
And one must finish the drink before going thru security, so snacking inside the gate hold room area is not very palatable.
There’s an additional security screening at the gate in MNL for United’s MNL-SFO nonstops with no bathrooms (or concessions) within the gate hold room area.
Simply put, if one needs to use the bathroom or wants to purchase a drink or snack while waiting to board the aircraft, they must exit the gate area & reclear security each time.
Apologies for the duplicate reader reply comment post; it was not intentional.
Ben, if possible, please delete the duplicate & this post!
SNN has it as well
Thank you Ben, for advertising to potential wrong doer’s the security failures at DUB. I am sure that the Irish authorities will close the loophole now that you have let the cat out of the bag.
Are you trying to re-start The Troubles?
Do be brief 1990, read my post and if necessary come back to me. I will be pleased to clarify anything which you might have misunderstood.
Not sure how they do it but it does seem like most people get waved thru these days.
I've actually seen many passengers being allowed through Pre-clearance at DUB without a secondary security check. That was started about 2 years or so ago. I think it's because Dublin's airport security is a lot more thorough these days, and the technology has advanced. You can even take large liquids through.
Yeah my consistent experiences the last couple of years is that more people than not get to skip the extra screening.