Harrods Aviation has made special arrangements with the UK Border Agency (UKBA) for passengers and crew to complete immigration procedures at its London Luton Airport FBO. The move follows a UKBA decision earlier this year not to continue the previously standing practice of allowing business aircraft operators to use the pre-clearance procedure, thereby avoiding the inconvenience of requiring passengers and crew to have their passports checked in the main airport terminal.
Harrods claims to be the only Luton FBO to provide this service, which is available between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily. According to the UKBA, the new policy of not routinely making staff available to clear business aircraft is supposed to be applied at all airports in the London area.
However, research by AIN showed that this is not the case and that the agency’s staff at Luton has been enforcing the policy more rigidly. For instance, UKBA staff have continued to be available at Harrods and other FBOs at London Stansted Airport.