US Immigration at Dublin?

One of my colleagues believes that Aer Lingus has a system whereby you clear US immigration in Dublin prior to departing for the US. This would obviously save a lot of time at the end of the journey but is it correct?

[Decker]

From the Wikipaedia article here

The U.S. and Ireland entered into a preclearance arrangement in 1986. Only immigration checks are performed, with customs and agriculture inspections still done on arrival in the U.S. Ñ therefore passengers from Ireland must still land at international terminals.

Dublin Airport's Terminal 2, currently in the planning stages, will have full US Customs and Border Protection facilities. This will allow passengers from T2 to leave US airports (including domestic airports, if any airline decides to serve them) upon landing without further inspection. Shannon will have similar facilities by the end of 2008.

[honey lamb]

Yes, it's true for all US flights from Dublin and Shannon and not just Aer Lingus. Continental, Delta and USAirways fly from there (and I think I have seen an AA plane in DUB)

[Darren Wheeler]

That explains why the Aer Lingus flight that arrived the same time as me, the passengers just breezed through immigration.

[mcmbenjamin]

Me an the people that claim to be my parents are going to Dublin for Thanksgiving. How early should we arrive at the airport for the DUB - IAD flight? Also does EI tend to offer buy-ups if J is under sold?

[honey lamb]

Hard to say as I've never taken an Aer Lingus flight to the US. DUB is still a relatively small airport by American standards. The US flights go from Pier B which is more or less opposite the security areas (there are two security channels at DUB and it really doesn't matter which one you use. If the one nearest the Aer Lingus check-in area is busy, go down to the right and see if the other one is better but be aware that one takes the LCC's and can be busy if there is a bank of flights to go out.) I note that the IAD flight leaves at 2:00pm which is a relatively quiet time, but other than taht I really can't say. I'll check with people who have used Immigration on this side of the pond and see what they say

I remember that Continental used to have Pre-Arrival immigration at LGW about 18 years ago. As a lad in my twenties off to join a ship one of the INS inspectors asked (when looking at my passport) why I had been in court.

My rather disdainful reply that I had never been in court in my life elicited a laugh and he said I could 'be allowed to enter America' the arrogant so and so.

Thats the only time I ever saw that INS presence in the UK though it is common in Canada.