Canadian travellers, airlines, airports could be hit financially if pre-clearance into U.S. lost, says expert

Major airlines and airports, as well as both domestic and international travellers, could face added costs if pre-clearance services are lost in Canada, says an aviation expert.

Pete Hoekstra, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, said on Thursday that pre-clearance locations in Canadian airports are seeing declining numbers, as travel to the U.S. out of Canada slumps this year . The ambassador floated the idea that the U.S. may need to reassess offering the service.

"We're not sure we can make the numbers work anymore … pre-clearance is something that is done at the expense of the U.S. government. We paid for it," Hoekstra said at the Global Business Forum in Banff, Alta.

"You know, [if] you can't make the numbers work anymore — you're all business people. You know what that means. You've