Disagreement over border controls to the USA being positioned in Norway

airline NorwegianThe airline Norwegian. Photo: Norway Today Media

SAS Airline do not accept having USA border controls at Gardermoen. They consider the scheme Norway is negotiating to be both expensive, and the cause of delays.

Avinor’s project, known as ‘pre-clearance’, means that the USA’s border almost moves to Oslo’s Gardermoen Airport, with passport, border, and customs controls happening there, according to Aftenposten newspaper.

‘The fact that document and customs checks will take place before departure in Norway will necessarily mean that travellers to the USA must arrive at the airport even earlier than today.

Pre-clearance doesn’t mean that no-one will get checked when traveling to North America’, said Ove Myrold, the Director of Infrastructure and Social Affairs in SAS.

SAS has calculated possible additional costs of up to NOK 120 million due to the expected increase of delays and costs of the ground service.

Additionally, passengers travelling to the USA via Oslo will need extra time for check-in before departure. SAS won’t use the scheme if it comes into use.

Unlike SAS, Norwegian Airline believes the scheme will be a major benefit to passengers, adding value in aviation, and they said they will use it.

The Ministry of Transport has had formal contact with the USA on the issue of pre-clearance, which, even if adopted,would not be operational for several years.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today