Ever left customs without checked bags in order to make connection?
 

Let's just say one did the following.
What would happen?

-bags are checked through LHR-ORD-DCA
-arrive on AA from LHR at ORD Terminal 5 with a tight connection
-bags take a really long time
-you decide to leave customs with just your carry-on luggage
-since you have your boarding pass you just pass through security and board the ORD-DCA flight
-upon arrival in DCA go to AA office and file report
-just say you never saw the bags at ORD and they told you to file a report at your final destination


I know...not ethical but if you don't have anything urgent in your checked luggage and you need to make your connection, could you do this?

You could even offer AA to hold the bags at DCA and you could pick them up so they weren't responsible.

I would expect a full search of the bag. That's no problem.

Sometimes, though rarely, I've had a customs officer asked me if I have all my things when passing through the exit area where you hand in your declaration.

If it matters, I'm part of that group that can use the machine but I don't think that has much to do with this.

Unethical. Yes. AA told to to wait file your claim - prob will not be believed. AND, since you indicated your are part of a Trusted Flyer Program (GOES in this case with LHR-ORD "machine" access) you could also have your privilege revoked as I underatnd it.

I've never done that, but I have had my bags not show up several times, and arrive later in the day, then eventually reached me, suitably inspected with the TSA paper inside and all my things a mess. I'd suggest that event were you inclined to do this it would be unwise because of the messy baggage inspection process not to mention possible GOES revocation.

Do you know for absolute certainty that DHS doesn't have a record of how many bags you checked on the flight, when they swipe your passport? I would err on the side that they do, rather than they don't.

As someone who has had the pleasure of being brought into the back room by Homeland Security, and given the full probing so to speak, to the tune of 3 hours, for seemingly no apparent or discernible reason other than my number just came up, I would jump on the bandwagon of no shenanigans whatsoever.

Missing your connection and getting the next one would be far more pleasant than what I went through.

Okay...good advice.

I will rethink my plan!

I don't won't to be thrown out of the GOES program.

The airlines have a way of scanning your leftover bag at ORD which basically says the bag was on the flight with you and you did not bother to pick it up. Your bag will be x-rayed by customs, before AA can get it on a flight to DCA. Customs takes care of the airlines leftover bags after passengers, so there is little chance the bag will make the next flight.

The airline scan indicating you did not pick up your bag will tell baggage services not to deliver it to you, so you will have to pick it up. Hope you live near DCA.

I've done something similar a couple of times, not at the first point of entry into the US though. Instead of waiting until I got to the destination to report it I showed my baggage claim tag to the check in/transfer desk staff and had them sort it out. Once or twice my luggage made it on next flight after mine but the last time I did this it took almost a month before my bag and I where reunited.

This "idea" sounds like an excellent plan to get on the terrorist watch list and maybe spend some time in jail--or at least in an airport interrogation room.

Is that the goal? :td:

If you want to say good bye to your possessions and such, you should leave your checked bags.

Never seen that much bs in just 2 lines...

The Op is considering not picking up his bag. There is absolutely nothing that could result in an arrest and criminal charges.

On a sidenote, let the airline prove that the bag came off the belt on time, they will certainly have issues with that as they know how messed up their system is. It will also be delivered to you if you are smart and know what to say.

All bags are scanned before they hit the baggage claim carousel (at least on UA that's true; assume same for AA).

I am quite sure that all the airlines are aware of this ugly little "trick" and won't be pushovers. ^

Which would be wrong.

They swipe your passport before you pick up your luggage in ORD.

Isn't that true of pretty much every port of entry?

As I mentioned about 4 posts up, and was posted after this, the carriers scan bags as they are unloaded, just before they come down the belt. Any leftover bags are scanned again. They are scanned under a heading which indicates the passenger did not bother to pick them up. When one goes to baggage services to file a claim, the history makes it very clear what happened. This is not exactly the first time this has happened and the airlines are very cynical and are not about to do many favors for one who blew off them and Customs off.

Having said all this, your carrier may have a policy of delivering bags to passengers with status (no questions asked) - but proving the bag came off the belt on time is no problem.