bostontraveler

Correct and no worries. The most notable ones in that category are MEX (almost always) and EZE (depends on who has been reprimanded for collecting too many $100 bills that day from returning Argentines). LOL

davetravels

Well, then . . . My work here is done . . . . . . . <for today!>

flyerCO

In most cases you're needing to clear customs. Thus by definition they're not accessible. Very few places I've been outside the US make you pickup bags in a secure area or show a tag for domestic flight baggage.

sdadept

I'm surprised you don't know this but any amount of time you allow between your bags getting to a certain point and you getting control of them is time that they can go elsewhere or get lost. Also, getting there when delta said they would be there means that if they AREN'T there he can file another report and have a possibility of getting action on those lost bags earlier. This is common knowledge among those who fly A LOT.

davetravels

First of all, obviously, when you leave bags with an airline for an extended period of time between flights, things can happen to them. I do it ALL THE TIME! Whenever I have 23~ish hour layovers, at AMS/CDG, etc., I almost always check a bag straight thru, and I have only not gotten my bag in Berlin once. It did come eventually, and I bought some things to tide me over that I got reimbursed for. BUT - I NEVER check things that I will absolutely need, or can't live without! I realize that not everybody has that option, especially with work stuff.

The second sentence of your post - sorry - I really don't understand what you mean? I've read it a few times. Can you please calrify? Thanx!

bostontraveler

Geesh... amazing how many people just instinctively want to justify the American way of doing things!!! Instead of being self-referential, accept the fact that the US is INCREDIBLY lax with security on arriving baggage.

To be precise by the time you access bags in every single country I have been to, they have already been inspected by customs, yet the bags are still in a secure area. You have to prove your identity and produce a baggage tag to get them back. I have never once had to go and clear customs with my bag. But I have ALWAYS had to show up with ID and/or a baggage tag, something which in the US tends to be optional.

No matter where you've been outside the US when you walk in to the airport your bags are NOT spinning around on a carousel or off to the side without talking or seeing anyone.

flyerCO

Talking or seeing someone sure. However being required to produce a tag or ID?I Nope. Fly into many countries you clear immigration, pickup bags, and walk out via green lane never talking to anybody, nor showing ID/tags. For domestic flights, you simply pickup bags and go, no need to even be seen.

Flew to 27 countries last year, never once was I asked for a bag tag or ID to claim bags. Flew domestic in numerous of those (non connecting strictly domestic) and again nothing.

CPMaverick

(Emphasis mine). This is just wrong. When you arrive on an international flight, of course the bags are in a secure area before customs (the USA is the same). But this is not always the case for domestic flights. Perhaps your extensive international travel hasn't included many or any domestic legs?

In my experience the vast majority of domestic flights worldwide have a similar procedure to the USA. I can tell you that for Australia domestic flights, the bags arrive in exactly the same way as the USA. My experience in Canada, Europe, Asia, and South America is the same. The only place where I've seen domestic flight checked luggage in a secure area, and checking bag tags, was in Japan (ironically, the last place I'd be worried about theft!). I've only been to about 50 countries so I can't speak for the entire world, but I can tell you your blanket statement is quite far off the mark.

Don't blame it on USA-centric thinking. You are just wrong to state that nowhere else is like the USA in this regard.

bostontraveler

bostontraveler

flyerCO

This is the case in the US also. Just because they haven't yet been moved to the back area doesn't mean they weren't going to be. The bag gets sent to the claim belt. An employee then pulls off all bags not claimed and usually proceeds to place directly in back office. However if they get busy they get pulled to the side by office and put in back as time permits.

bostontraveler

flyerCO

Yes. Maybe you should read the whole of the thread. All the responses have been in regards to picking up bags. In fact your initial responses do nothing to limit it to only missed bags. I pointed out that the bag claim area is recessed at JFK to make obvious anyone trying to get to it from outside. You at no point tried to stear conversation to being about bags should be in back of office. Your conversation was simply that there was no I'D or tag check to pickup bags from the claim area. You never said anything about only late bags, which are put in back as time allows and which will require ID or tag to pickup. Did you think they just leave them outside the office forever? Did you expect they put a separate belt in the back of bag office? All bags always go to the claim belt. Any that aren't picked up (late arriving or simply unclaimed) get pulled. Generally placed in back right away, but sometimes placed along the wall when busy to clear space on the claim belt till processed.

bostontraveler

CPMaverick

Late bags don't arrive any differently, assuming they aren't shipped or put on a bus. They still arrive on a flight and will be in the carousel in an unsecured area, until at some point they are removed from the carousel by staff. The staff should, at some point, store them, but it doesn't happen immediately.

I doubt anyone is an expert on international delayed bag arrival processes, it isn't likely you or anyone else have a huge sample size of experience on this in multiple countries. I can tell you in Australia, when they remove bags from the carousel, they often sit in an unsecured area waiting to be processed. Especially in the cases of large disruptions where there is too much baggage for the back room. I've arrived in MEL several times with bags lined up across the back wall in this fashion. Sounds very similar to your experience, which you claim is limited to the USA only (it isn't).

Again, quite a false statement. Outside of international arrivals (which are secure in the USA as well), domestic luggage retrieval is unsecured at the vast majority (95%) of airports I've been to around the world. You claim that you are only talking about delayed bags, but a statement like this is NOT just about delayed luggage! A 'baggage claim' is where everyone picks up their luggage, and it is NOT typically in a secure area for domestic travels worldwide.