Security Screening After Flying from a foriegn City??

[Laz]

My brother recently flew back from Cancun (into Cleveland) and was forced to go through security and a full search of all bags before he was allowed to leave. He was told this was going to become common for all flights coming in from a foriegn country. Has anyone heard or experienced this?

 

[bbangel]

It's called Customs and happens in most countries. They only hand search a certain percentage of luggage, but everyone goes through security when re-entering or arriving in a country.

 

[Laz]

This was more than the usual customs. All passengers had to go through security detectors and were wanded and hand searched. They had to do this at the same time they went through customs. I have been through US Imigration and Customs before and have never had this happen.

 

[CarolA]

Yes, you are rescreened on most all incoming international flights.

The rule is that if you claim your luggage (or are in the luggage claim area) then you have to be rescreened. That's because you can pack things like knives in your checked luggage so once you have access to the checked luggage they want to be sure you didn't take out any forbidden items.

 

[Laz]

So even if you are leaving to the street you have to be re-screened?

 

[NotUrsula]

Was it Customs, or DEA, or ATF, or DofAg? If there has been a tip that passengers might be smuggling on a particular route, any or all of those agencies might put agents on the entry checkpoints and insist on add'l searches. A good clue is the dogs -- beagles usually mean an agriculture search, other breeds are usually looking for narcotics, weapons, or cash.

 

[Laz]

My brother said it was the same people who screen you as you go through security on the way to your plane.

 

[NotUrsula]

I see what the confusion is -- you said that his bags were all searched, which made most of us think of Customs. CarolA got it correct; the issue is that some items which are allowed inside checked baggage are not allowed inside the terminal airside area. For domestic passengers that doesn't pose a problem because the baggage claim area is landside, but int'l arrivals at some airports initially claim their bags (for Customs) airside and may end up staying there to transfer to another flight.

To answer your question about leaving to the street, it depends on the airport. If the int'l baggage arrivals area (aka Customs) is landside, then a TSA screening will probably be unnecessary if you are leaving to the street. I'm pretty sure that you would not have to go through it at O'Hare, for instance, since all int'l arrivals are in a separate terminal with no airside transport to the other terminals. At ORD, your bags can go back airside to a connecting flight without your carrying them, but you are already landside when you initially get them for Customs.

 

[seashoreCM]

It is not a good idea to book a trip as two separate tickets of the following kind: (1) round trip from A to B, and (2) nested round trip from B to C. If you missed the "connecting" flight you are out of luck.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[NotUrsula]

I would generally agree, but what does that have to do with TSA re-creening for int'l arrivals?

 

[bavaria]

Let me give you an example. A passenger books a flight Hong Kong to Toronto via Vancouver, on Air Canada. (could be any combination of international flights but here you go)

The passenger goes through security in Hong Kong; the plane lands in Vancouver, the traveller goes through Customs and Immigration, claims their suitcase, and heads to the domestic gates. There they check their bags with Air Canada, go through security and are fully screened again and have their carryons screened.

Same deal for someone flying Vancouver - Los Angeles - New Zealand, for example, or Denver - Toronto - Halifax.

There are variables, when flying to/from/within Europe and moving between Schengen and non Schengen countries, but that may not interest everyone.