penelope

I've recently had problems with international to international transit bags at IAH and hope to save others the same headache.

A month ago my bag, properly tagged for transit, didn't make it onto a flight to LHR, despite a more than comfortable layover. It took three days to get it back, given the baggage hell hole that is Heathrow.

Took exactly the same route recently and given the past experience, went to the carousel on arrival, just to check it hadn't been incorrectly spat out into the baggage hall. It had. I showed it to a supervisor who agreed that it shouldn't have happened but could offer no explanation.

Worth checking the baggage hall en route to customs if you have transiting bags.

mherdeg

So I understand right that you were flying something like CUN-IAH-LHR and on the outbound portion, your CUN-IAH bags ended up at the post-security arrivals area baggage hall, and you had to re-check them to LHR? And this happened twice?

I think this is the documented way that international bags work when transiting America. If the bags show up at the post-security landside carousel, this is wrong (they should have arrived at the in-transit carousel area).

Um, just for the avoidance of doubt if you're flying *through* the U.S. coming from an international destination and your first port of entry at the USA is IAH, you will always need to claim your bags and clear customs and re-check your bags — that is of course part of the international transit experience when going through America and it's why some people avoid transiting the U.S. on intl trips.

If this happened on, like, DEN-IAH-LHR, this would be a problem / not the way that international bags work when transiting the US.

FlyingDiver

There is no "transit" hall at IAH, so you need to claim your bags, go through customs, then recheck them. Your bags were in the right place.

mherdeg

Hmmm, I do wonder whether this need to re-check bags really does occur at every U.S. station as I originally thought.

Here are reports that MIA allows intl-to-intl connections without requiring pax to re-collect their bags: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...lect-bags.html , and some further discussion among people seeing International Transfer tags applied to bags thru DFW : http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...-checking.html .

So I guess "this happens everywhere in America" is probably not true.

Kacee

I thought I had read that IAH was allowing customs-less transfer too, but it's not reflected on the airport website.

penelope

According to UA staff - I generally ask at check-in, just to be sure - if it's an intl (it was Mexico) to intl rather than intl to domestic connection you don't need to pick up bags and walk them through customs. I understood that was what the green 'T' tag is for. I've done this route many times and only had the problem recently. Coming back from Heathrow the bags went straight through IAH without issue - without collection and re-checking.

sbm12

Nope. IAH is one of a few airports which allows bags on selected I:I itineraries to remain "in transit" without being claimed and rechecked. MIA has a similar option in place.

See also:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...-checking.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...lect-bags.html
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic...ir_Travel.html

Yes, it is. http://www.fly2houston.com/OneStop :-:

mherdeg

From the discussion of MIA, it sounds like this happens inconsistently, and when it happens you know (you get a special "don't pick this up" tag)?!. Very confusing.

Kacee

Thanks. They should update the Customs tab, which indicates that everyone, including international to international connections, clears customs and rechecks bags. www.fly2houston.com

fastair

http://www.fly2houston.com/OneStop

It clearly says this is for passengers with ONLY CARRYON LUGGAGE. Checked luggage does NOT fit that bill. ORD has that as well. It is not for anyone (crew or passenger) with any checked luggage, as it combines customs of your carry on items along with immigration in a single "one stop". It avoids both the baggage claim, as well as the inspection of any checked baggage, which is why, if you have checked luggage, that this is not an option. The signs and queue agents are very explicitl on this.

dls25

IAH did have a program where Itnl-Itnl connecting passengers did not have to pick up their bags at some point. Approved airlines were allowed to use it on specific routings. I flew out of LIM a few years ago with a large group of French Tourists that were transiting to CDG and they took advantage of it. A special tag was placed on the baggage at the origin station so baggage handlers knew not to put it on the belt. It worked then...not quite sure what is going on now....

sbm12

Look at the graphic on the right. It quite clearly indicates that "in transit" counts, too.

And the signage at the airport says so as well.

fastair

Yea, bad logo. Clearly the body of text contradicts the cute logo, both in actual statement, as well as in explanation of purpose. Kinda like when you see an infomercial where...just wait, a 2nd item will be included free. Then the fine print that explains what "free" means says that an additional processing charge as well as a separate shipping/handling charge will be applied. I find it is best to read the body of things instead of just the logos.

The US is stricter than many countries when it comes to transiting, like in most cases, requiring a visa, clearing customs, having your connecting luggage go thru a TSA check...etc.

"allowing passengers who have only carry-on luggage faster processing in a special line.", "Since there is no additional luggage to check, passengers are directed to a special exit where they will bypass the baggage carousels and the Exit Control area", and "If you are an international traveler arriving at IAH with only carry-on luggage, look for the signs on the right to get you to the right line for processing." 2 of the 5 paragraphs clearly spell it out, a 3rd makes reference to it, that "only carry on luggage" is the requirement.

If it were my bags, and I received strong indication from the text, but a cute logo contradicted the clear verbiage that is spelled out numerous times, I sure wouldn't risk following the graphic instead of the body of text. But on the other hand, I have experience working in the customs hall of the test station for the one stop program, so perhaps my personal knowledge of it reinforced reading the body of text vs just looking at the logo.

I believe they need to clarify what they mean in that logo by transit as it directly contradicts the body of text.

But really, does anyone "transit" the USA anymore. Doesn't everyone actually immigrate into the US and then emigrate out of it? The TWOV program was killed over a decade ago, so transiting or staying, you must enter the US.