question about dtw customs
 

Happy T-day to all. I am in Amsterdam (no Thanksgiving until Sunday) on business. I booked AZO-DTW-AMS. NW/DL metal. Question: I fly back early Sunday, it just dawned on me that I connect at DTW (why this just dawned on me has to do with jet lag or age [the latter probably]) and usually do my TATL flights direct from DTW. Do my bags (1) that put underneath go straight through too AZO or do I have to collect the bag at immigration and then go upstairs and recheck it through to AZO? I was not thinking about this when I booked the flights so I may not have left enough time for immigration on Sunday then rechecking then running to C terminal to catch a flight to AZO. Might be dumb question, but I think only DTW is the gateway re: passport/immigration clearance--or is it that if one stays on with the same airline/alliance they just transfer the bags to the AZO flight. This is the way it worked outbound, but of course that was leaving not returning to the USA.

Thanks (sorry for the long-winded post). Oh yea, and payback for my comment on children in BE (on the lap) there were two last night right next to me DTW-AMS. I was punished for my post of a few days ago :) that is all I will say about very young children in BE. Also two times in row (what are the odds within three weeks) no AVOD function in BE. Does anyone check this stuff before flights leave?

When you arrive in the U.S., you need to claim your checked bags and clear customs, then drop them off again. Your bag would be tagged to AZO when you first check it, but you need to claim it at DTW to clear customs, then drop it off right after customs.

It's standard / required procedure in the US to clear your bags through customs at the first landfall, whether you're connecting onwards or not. This way we don't have to build a customs facility at every airport in America whether it has international flights or not; obviously, in your case, there is no customs facility at AZO.

The DTW customs / immigration hall is easy to pass through and usually underutilized. You recheck your bag to AZO down there, then just go upstairs to the A gates when you're done.

thanks
 

Thanks very much.

[QUOTE=BearX220;12883615]It's standard / required procedure in the US to clear your bags through customs at the first landfall,.....

There are a few exceptions -- for example, at VYR you clear customs while you're in Canada.

Bob H.

That is true -- DUB also I believe -- in those cases the departure zone in the foreign airport counts as your first US landfall.

It's all to keep customs / immigration activity confined to "international airports" even though US-bound international pax travel to many, many US destinations.

DTW is one of those airports where I've gone from plane to drinking beer in the club in about 20 minutes. In particular when you're flying J and off the plane first. It's also the only airport I can think of where NW/DL agents patrol the line area at immigration directing people to the right line, handing out forms and answering questions. That helps prevent clog ups in line.

this is true most of the time but not when there are several TATL flights arriving at the same time. waiting for bags to show up is also an issue if they are particularly slow that day. i have missed connecting flights before even with a scheduled 1 1/2 hr connecting time due to the above situations.

ISTR that it is not the clearing through the first part of the customs but rather the getting the bag from the belt, standing in line for part two of customs and rechecking that seems to be the time waister.

YMMV

Your bag will be checked to AZO as others have explained.

Do not follow the signs "Exit to Detroit" like you normally would.

Once you are through customs there is a line where you drop your checked luggage off to be screened and then delivered to your connecting aircraft (as the luggage will already be tagged AZO).

As you walk to the right there is a TSA checkpoint on the international arrivals level. Clear the TSA checkpoint here.

Once you're through, it will lead you to an escalator which will take you upstairs to the departure level and out a door into the A concourse. This door is right next to the main WorldClub (SkyClub) and the Currency Exchange booth. If you have time, you can enter the SkyClub here.

Otherwise, you'll know exactly where you are when you come out the door in the A concourse and the tunnel to the B/C concourse is just across from you.

Same thing happens when one arrives on an int'l flight here.

This was my experience as well. I'd add that the TSA line was short enough that I was able to go back and chug the bottle of Pocari Sweat I picked up in NRT instead of surrendering it, and still clear the whole mess in less than five minutes.

No idea how efficient they are getting your bag to the next plane, as I didn't have any checked luggage. Good luck and happy late Thanksgiving.