Pilot System Could End U.S. Transit Dramas

American Airlines and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are piloting a new baggage screening initiative this week on the airline’s daily flight from Sydney to Los Angeles.

This new program, along with One Stop Security which launched for the airline in February, is part of American’s ongoing effort to reimagine the international travel experience for its customers.

Through International Remote Baggage Screening (IRBS), passengers arriving in the U.S. from select international airports 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.

Designed to reduce connection times and improve the overall travel experience, IRBS leverages advanced technology to modernise the baggage screening process so it can be done remotely. The initiative does not change any existing screening requirements.

“We are excited to collaborate with CBP on this innovative initiative,” said Gary Tomasulo, Vice President of Global Corporate Security at American.

“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.”

If the trial run goes well, both American and CBP expect the new process to expand to other U.S. cities.

Graham White, Head of Security at Sydney Airport, said the initiative was a “significant, positive shift” in terms of the experience for passengers transiting through U.S. ports.

“Our top priorities are safety, efficiency and service, and through this collaboration we can achieve all three,” he added.

“We look forward to successfully launching this pilot which is a great example of how technology can modernise and streamline customs and border processing.”

https://www.americanairlines.com.au/