Despite the bloodbath in the City, plans for British Airways’ new twice daily service between London City Airport and New York JFK, due to launch in autumn 2009, continue apace. The airline confirmed today, after much speculation, that passengers flying on the westbound leg would get pre-clearance for both immigration and customs during an enforced fuel stop at Shannon in west Ireland.

It will be the first time that an airport in Europe will be able to pre-clear transatlantic passengers for both immigration and customs, making entry into the US far quicker in practice.

The westbound service has to make the stop in Shannon because of weight limits at London City, which restrict the amount of fuel that the Airbus A318s that British Airways will use can carry. There are no such takeoff restrictions at JFK so the eastbound leg will be non-stop.

With 15 minute check-in at London City, it means that bankers still in jobs at Canary Wharf should be able to leave their desks in London and reach their Manhattan offices in around 11 hours door-to-door. BA says the service will be a premium one – meaning that you are likely to have to pay somewhat more than flying from Heathrow to JFK. It will be like Concorde but without having to break the sound barrier.