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

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

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Old Jun 13, 2010 | 11:08 pm
  #46  
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Originally Posted by u2fan
If you tell customs you are not waiting for your bags - but are trying to make a connection, it is highly unlikely they will wave you thru. It is far more likely they will have you wait for your bags.
A sample of 1 and in a different era (1994), yielded a different results (see my post above). In today's environment, who knows; I would like to believe that they will still let you though, has anyone actually been told by customs to wait for bags and miss/risk missing a connection?
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Old Jun 14, 2010 | 9:59 am
  #47  
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If you miss your bags at customs (for whatever reason) is there any paperwork to fill out in the US? When this happened to us in France we had quite a round robin of faxing, completing and re-faxing forms that allowed them to inspect our bags in our absence. This waiver was required since we weren't physically present for a potential inspection.

When we finally caught up to our bags as SXB they had made a thorough tour of Europe, but were waiting for us looking very lonely in a corner of the customs area of this quite small airport. The person just pointed them out to us and said "there you go". They had some sort of customs clearance form on them, but didn't look like they'd been rifled.
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Old Jun 14, 2010 | 9:10 pm
  #48  
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Originally Posted by milepig
If you miss your bags at customs (for whatever reason) is there any paperwork to fill out in the US? When this happened to us in France we had quite a round robin of faxing, completing and re-faxing forms that allowed them to inspect our bags in our absence. This waiver was required since we weren't physically present for a potential inspection.
No, Customs does not feel they need any permission. All bags get x-rayed - there is no doubt or question about it.
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Old Jun 15, 2010 | 3:07 pm
  #49  
 
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I did have a situation in the past in which one of my bags never showed up at the port of entry. I assumed it had been lost and then went to my connecting flight. Somehow the bag made it through and was delivered with all of the other checked baggage from the connecting flight. I still have no idea exactly how that bag got from ATH to RDU, but it did. This was pre-9/11, so customs may not have been as zealous as they presently are.
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Old Jun 15, 2010 | 8:55 pm
  #50  
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Originally Posted by u2fan
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.
Do you have any evidence to support this? Sitting on pax luggage in the secure zone seems like a big liability to me, and once the luggage has cleared customs, I would think they'd be obligated to forward to its final destination.
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Old Jun 16, 2010 | 2:35 am
  #51  
 
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A bit late to the party but this is actually an extremely common scam in some parts of the world. I've seen dozens if not hundreds of these done, although in most cases it is to avoid paying excess baggage fees for the entire journey.
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Old Jun 16, 2010 | 5:56 am
  #52  
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Originally Posted by moondog
Do you have any evidence to support this? Sitting on pax luggage in the secure zone seems like a big liability to me, and once the luggage has cleared customs, I would think they'd be obligated to forward to its final destination.
Maybe I could have been clearer: the carriers do forward the bags to their final destination (meaning aiport). They just will not deliver them to the passengers home. You have to pay cod for delivery to your home, or pick them up at the airport.
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Old Jun 16, 2010 | 5:09 pm
  #53  
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Originally Posted by ESpen36
I have been told before that if you do not pick up your own bags to take them through Customs, then the airline reps will escort your bags through Customs on your behalf. If you aren't present, then you will not be able to witness any CBP searches of your luggage.
only thing i would have in a checked bag are piles of dirty cheap laundry. Nothing of value for me to care.
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Old Jun 16, 2010 | 5:13 pm
  #54  
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Originally Posted by bniu
only thing i would have in a checked bag are piles of dirty cheap laundry. Nothing of value for me to care.
That's 'cause the TSA and the baggage handlers already got the good stuff before the bags got to Customs?
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