A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) initiative will enable inbound flyers to the U.S. to connect to their final destination without claiming and then rechecking luggage.
The Remote Baggage Screening initiative goes live Wednesday with its first route -- American Airlines service from Sydney to Los Angeles. Prior to the flight landing, CBP will review checked baggage x-ray images that were collected in Sydney. That step will alleviate the need for connecting passengers to collect their luggage for x-ray screening in Los Angeles. Those flyers will still have to go through security screening at LAX.
"This collaboration highlights CBP's dedication to improving security protocols while facilitating the flow of international travelers through select U.S. ports of entry," CBP said.
The CBP said the initiative will expand to other routes and other airlines in the near future.
The Remote Baggage Screening Initiative is separate from the One-stop Security program, the pilot of which launched for inbound flights to London Heathrow from Dallas-Fort Worth and Atlanta in early February. That program, in which TSA is also a participant, allows flyers to go directly to connecting international flights in Heathrow without going through security and without collecting and re-screening bags.
The One-stop Security trial is expected to expand this summer to inbound flights to Dallas and Atlanta from Heathrow -- allowing connecting passengers to go directly to their next U.S. destination after being processed at the gate by CBP agents.