USA preclearance at Heathrow
 

Why isn't US immigration and customs preclearance for USA bound flights from Heathrow available? Given the number of flights, it seems insane to me that it isn't.

Is there a reason I'm unaware of?

Some discussion of the issues involved here:

https://www.the-independent.com/trav...-b2513405.html

("Preclearance for travel to the US – how does it work and what do you need?")

1. Which terminal would the preclearance facility be located in? All of them?

2. For each terminal, which gates would you block off to be used for US flights only instead of the current flexible working? How would that work with lounges and shops? Doesn't Heathrow want passengers to spend as long as possible in the shopping areas?

3. There are many connecting passengers to the US, on Star and Skyteam it will be on two different airlines, while oneworld often involves a change of terminal. Will airlines want the MCT to increase by an hour or more?

4. Will people be willing to pay higher fares (or higher fees to LHR bundled into the fares / even higher co-pay for redemptions) to offset the running costs and to pay back the construction costs? Would it be more profitable for airlines and LHR to just raise fares and not spend the extra money on creating preclearance facilities?

Cost and Complexity.

It would require a major reconfiguration at LHR to set up a pre clearance facility that is equally accessible to ALL airlines.

There would need to be a Treaty between the US and UK governments followed by legislation in Congress and Parliament to pass the necessary laws and regulations.

IIRC it is US policy that the other nation / airport pays for all the capital costs of the necessary equipment and compensates the US for the additional costs of posting CBP officers oversears over and above the usual costs for a 'normal' US landing.

I don't see HMG paying and LHR will have reservations and there will be a slew of airlines who will refuse to contribute a penny towards the cost of a facility / service they will never use either by the landing fees or passenger service charges.

There would also be implications at some US airports. Could JFK T8 domestic facilities handle over a dozen BA/AA flights a day without needing more baggage handling space etc.

I have always wondered why UA doesn’t promote this for their LHR operations. T2B would be relatively easy to adapt by putting an overhead concourse above the northern end, which would allow built in flexibility for US/non-US departures.

This would make a lot of sense for their US connecting business and they already funnel much of the European connections through FRA, MUC and ZRH. Having said that, many of their better customers would have GE so would not benefit.

I'd pay a small premium to have preclearance.

More than LHR, MAN would be a better fit logistically at least especially with all the new improvements going on up there