Originally Posted by
JimInOhio
Customs clearance wouldn’t be at the endpoint but at the hub/port of entry. It’s nothing new for US CBP, they do it every day at YYZ, YVR, etc. If a passenger can check their bag all the way through (no reclaim) on LHR-YYZ-IND, then why not LHR-ORD-IND?
Sure, YYZ has some extra equipment to perform a one-step immigration/customs check but there aren’t that many airports in the US that would need the same. Maybe 20 at the most? If an airport doesn’t install the same capabilities as YYZ then it can handle immigration and customs the old fashion way.
That's not the same at all YYZ-IND, every bag on that flight whether it checked through from origin or originated in YYZ would have been cleared already because it is coming from YYZ where the customs check took place. There'd be no I/D bags to mix because it's an international point of origin. ORD-IND would have bags from the LHR-ORD flight sure, but it would also have bags from SFO-ORD, LAX-ORD, IAH-ORD, etc, a bunch of domestic feeders where the bags don't require US CBP checks, whereas everything on YYZ-IND requires CBP (that just happens to take place at YYZ due to preclearance). .