Collecting/rechecking bags returning to the US

[sam_gordon]

It's been a while since our previous international trip (2017), but I remember going through ATL, hitting immigration to have our passports looked at, collecting luggage, then going through another security screening where our bags were put through x-rays, then dropping the bags for the connecting flights.

On our last trip (also ATL), went through immigration to have passports looked at (HINT: download the mobile passport app... it saved us easily 30+ minutes standing in line), collected our bags, walked to another area, dropped the bags off, THEN hit a TSA screening.

So I guess my question is, why do we need to collect the bags at all? We literally rolled the bags maybe 100 yards from where we collected them to where we dropped them off.

And before someone says "for those passengers who terminate in Atlanta", all the domestic connections don't have to go through this, so why should international?

 

[lockets]

To catch international smugglers.

Lucky for you they are OK with folks who are smuggling in a love for Disney magic ; )

 

[sam_gordon]

To catch international smugglers.

Lucky for you they are OK with folks who are smuggling in a love for Disney magic ; )

Can you expand on your first sentence? I understood on our 2017 trip when we were with our bags as they went through the x-ray. This year, that didn't happen, we literally got our bags, walked ~100 yards, then dropped our bags off.

 

[hrhdhd]

I have often declared items over the duty-free limit and/or food items, and having the bags allows the agents to do a secondary screening/questioning. They also might pull aside people for that secondary screening at random. I've seen drug-sniffing dogs in that baggage area, as well, so yes, they're probably looking for things the overseas screening may have missed.

The bags are also being matched to passengers, so any not picked up and transferred (or removed from the airport if the passenger is at her final destination) will be collected and examined.

 

[lockets]

Arriving passengers can be approached during their "100 yard walk," interviewed privately and released into the U.S., or promptly sent back to whence they came based on intelligence received. It's not like they send in a SWAT team so it's perhaps not obvious (by design). Understandably it feels repetitious. If that's how it feels it probably just means you're a law abiding person. : )

Whether the passengers have their checked bags on them is irrelevant. They will either have their bag with them in that space, or be greeted by their bag when interviewed. And sometimes they are smuggling a person traveling with them and it's nothing to do with the bag. Make sense?

 

[sam_gordon]

Arriving passengers can be approached during their "100 yard walk," interviewed privately and released into the U.S., or promptly sent back to whence they came based on intelligence received. It's not like they send in a SWAT team so it's perhaps not obvious (by design). Understandably it feels repetitious. If that's how it feels it probably just means you're a law abiding person. : )

Whether the passengers have their checked bags on them is irrelevant. They will either have their bag with them in that space, or be greeted by their bag when interviewed. And sometimes they are smuggling a person traveling with them and it's nothing to do with the bag. Make sense?

Nope, sorry. I understood it when we were with the bags as they were x-rayed (in 2017). Find something in the bags that shouldn't be there, and the "owner" is right there. Totally get that.

Now, though, when the bags are re-screened, the owner is NOT around. So the bags would need to be screened BEFORE they're picked up by the owner and moved those 100 yards. Then "look out for the person with the green bag!"

There WERE LEOs at the door of the plane, a LEO with a dog at the end of the jet bridge, and another LEO having a passenger go through their carry on (backpack) at the end of the jet bridge. We wondered if they had gotten a tip of some sort that prompted all of that. Regardless, I still don't understand walking the checked bags 100 yards.

 

[lockets]

There WERE LEOs at the door of the plane, a LEO with a dog at the end of the jet bridge, and another LEO having a passenger go through their carry on (backpack) at the end of the jet bridge. We wondered if they had gotten a tip of some sort that prompted all of that.

It can be random or it can be a "tip." As stated, airports gather/receive intelligence on overseas passengers.

Then "look out for the person with the green bag!"

I'm confused. Is the green bag a carry on or a checked bag?

 

[sam_gordon]

I'm confused. Is the green bag a carry on or a checked bag?

I'm picturing the bags get scanned BEFORE going out to the carousel. The inspectors note the "problem" bag, then let others know to look to see who grabs that bag.

 

[lockets]

I'm picturing the bags get scanned BEFORE going out to the carousel. The inspectors note the "problem" bag, then let others know to look to see who grabs that bag.

Every airport is different. Without getting into specifics it would be more likely that a "problem" bag would never be thrown back in with "no problem" bags for pickup. The owner would be approached by security for a "special reunification ceremony" with their bag. i.e. you're waiting to pick up your bag, but you then realize there's someone there waiting to pick you up for a walk to a private area.

OR, it could be as simple as an airport using bag owners as free labor. i.e. move your own bags for us. If I'm reading correctly, both trips had you moving your own checked bag from one place to another. That could be about security, or not.

 

[georgina]

Coming home from one of our Caribbean trips a few years ago, my checked bag didn't show up in Miami on the carousel. They kept announcing to make sure you collect your bags to recheck, spent like an hour looking around for my bag, and finally someone admitted it was probably just checked through and already on the plane (this as before we had airtags!) So not always necessary. It does seem silly the way it is now.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Coming home from one of our Caribbean trips a few years ago, my checked bag didn't show up in Miami on the carousel. They kept announcing to make sure you collect your bags to recheck, spent like an hour looking around for my bag, and finally someone admitted it was probably just checked through and already on the plane (this as before we had airtags!) So not always necessary. It does seem silly the way it is now.

Always necessary. They screwed up and violated US Customs laws with your bag. Lucky for you customs didn’t feel like stopping you to do an inspection of your bag.

https://cbpcomplaints.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-992?language=en_US

As for @sam_gordon ’s question as to why, it’s because the US doesn’t have transit passengers. All passengers must clear immigration and customs. Customs has the right to stop you and inspect your bags, therefore you must have your bags with you in case they do so.

 

[georgina]

Always necessary. They screwed up and violated US Customs laws with your bag. Lucky for you customs didn’t feel like stopping you to do an inspection of your bag.

https://cbpcomplaints.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-992?language=en_US

As for @sam_gordon ’s question as to why, it’s because the US doesn’t have transit passengers. All passengers must clear immigration and customs. Customs has the right to stop you and inspect your bags, therefore you must have your bags with you in case they do so.

There was no way since I didn't have my bag through no fault of my own. I did spend a lot of time trying to find it. If they wanted to inspect it they would have to get it off the plane.

From your link -
When entering the United States from overseas, you must obtain your luggage and bring them through Customs and Border Protection (CBP). You will need to check them back into the airlines to make your next flight. Baggage not obtained after your international flight will not get to your final destination.

This bolded part is obviously not correct. It went to my final destination.

​

 

[gottalovepluto]

There was no way since I didn't have my bag through no fault of my own. I did spend a lot of time trying to find it. If they wanted to inspect it they would have to get it off the plane.

From your link -
When entering the United States from overseas, you must obtain your luggage and bring them through Customs and Border Protection (CBP). You will need to check them back into the airlines to make your next flight. Baggage not obtained after your international flight will not get to your final destination.

This bolded part is obviously not correct. It went to my final destination.

But it IS correct. It’s literally the law You were the exception, not the rule.

 

[sam_gordon]

But there was no Customs check. I was expecting it, but there wasn't one. Thats what prompted me to start the thread.

 

[gottalovepluto]

But there was no Customs check. I was expecting it, but there wasn't one. Thats what prompted me to start the thread.

They chose not to funnel you through a customs check area for whatever reason. You collect your bags because they need to have the option to, otherwise you could smuggle in whatever you wanted on a consistent schedule. They only have so many resources so everyone is not inspected but making sure everyone has the chance to be inspected is why you must collect your bag.

 

[sam_gordon]

They chose not to funnel you through a customs check area for whatever reason. You collect your bags because they need to have the option to, otherwise you could smuggle in whatever you wanted on a consistent schedule. They only have so many resources so everyone is not inspected but making sure everyone has the chance to be inspected is why you must collect your bag.

Thanks. It is possible there was another exit out of the room with the luggage carousels, I didn't look closely because I was expecting to round a corner and hit Customs.