ALBA MSP Ash Regan has welcomed the SNP Government’s adoption of her policy on US pre-customs clearance in Edinburgh.
The Alba group leader at Holyrood first proposed the creation of pre-clearance facilities at Edinburgh Airport in December 2024.
Several Irish and Canadian cities have such facilities on site, which allow passengers travelling to the US to go through customs and immigration before boarding the plane.
Regan said that creating similar facilities at Edinburgh could give the city’s airport “a competitive advantage”.
“We can see the benefits of pre-clearance when we look at Dublin airport,” she added. “Scotland has been constantly growing our direct American connectivity over the previous years and this would be a great opportunity to further boost links between both countries.”
On Tuesday, First Minister John Swinney met with US president Donald Trump ahead of the opening of his new course at Menie links in Aberdeenshire.
In a read-out of the meeting provided by the Scottish Government afterwards, it was revealed that Swinney had raised the Alba proposal directly with the president.
It said: “Mr Swinney also presented the President with a proposal to provide Edinburgh Airport with US Customs pre-clearance facilities which the First Minister said would help ‘demonstrate the strength of America’s enduring relationship with its friend and partner, Scotland’.”
The spokesperson further pointed to the Budget deal which Regan and the [[SNP]] Government struck in January 2025, saying that she had agreed to support the spending plans “in exchange for universal winter fuel payments and more free school meals”.
“Ash Regan will be happy to work with the Scottish Government if it leads to delivering for people in Scotland,” they added.
