American Airlines‘ passengers flying into Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) from Sydney no longer have to claim checked baggage in the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Customs Hall and recheck it with the airline for a connecting flight under a new program announced this week.
The groundbreaking change comes as part of the new International Remote Baggage Screening (IRBS) program which aims to provide a more seamless and enhanced customer experience for passengers travelling internationally while maintaining the highest levels of security. Along with One Stop Security which launched for the airline in February, it is part of AA’s ongoing effort to reimagine the international travel experience for its customers.
“We are excited to collaborate with CBP on this innovative initiative,” said Gary Tomasulo, AA Vice President of Global Corporate Security. “By leveraging advanced technology and working with Sydney Airport and our vendor partners BagCheck and Brock Solutions, we are enhancing safety and security while streamlining the CBP baggage inspection process to make global travel smoother and more convenient for our customers.”
Under the new program, passengers arriving in the US from select international airports, including Sydney Kingsford Smith, will no longer have to claim their checked baggage in the CBP Customs Hall and recheck it with American for their connecting flight. Instead, after clearing CBP Passport Control, passengers will proceed directly to a TSA checkpoint and then will continue to their connecting flight.
The new initiative has been introduced on the AA’s daily flight from Sydney to Los Angeles, with both American and CBP expecting the new process to expand to other cities.
“As part of our innovation efforts in air travel, CBP is leveraging technology to enhance baggage inspections to further secure and streamline travel,” said Acting Executive Assistant Commissioner Office of Field Operations, US Customs and Border Protection Diane J. Sabatino said the new process would “further secure and streamline travel”.
“The International Remote Baggage Screening initiative is a significant step forward in modernizing our processes and providing a secure and seamless experience for international travellers,” she said.
Meanwhile, Graham White, Head of Security at Sydney Airport, described it as a “positive shift” in terms of passenger experience. “Our top priorities are safety, efficiency and service, and through this collaboration we can achieve all three. We look forward to successfully launching this pilot which is a great example of how technology can modernize and streamline customs and border processing,” he said.
