U.S. sets manifest rule for private planes

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Operators of international private-plane flights to and from the United States will be required to electronically provide full advance manifests of their passengers and crew an hour before departure, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said on Monday.

The rule is aimed at closing a security gap by making private aircraft comply with similar notification rules required of commercial airlines, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said in announcing the rule.

"We're placing considerable emphasis on raising security in the general-aviation sector," Chertoff said.

Also on Monday Chertoff signed an agreement with Ireland under which commercial and private passenger flights to the United States from Shannon and Dublin airports can receive full preclearance screening before departure, streamlining passenger entry into the United States.

The department said airline passengers who have undergone the preclearance screening can have their checked luggage automatically transferred to domestic or international connecting flights.

Private aircraft flying through Ireland will be able to use the preclearance procedures to any U.S. airport without having to stop at a predesignated airport customs clearance.

The prescreening operations are expected to start at Shannon in 2009 and Dublin in 2010, the department said.

(Reporting by Randall Mikkelsen; Editing by Bill Trott)