Does US Customs ever make you open your bags on arrival?

[sail7seas]

We've had our luggage opened more than once.

I now put a note in my suitcase TO TSA on every flight since I know they will have a gander!

In addition to all of the aforementioned reasons for a personal inspection, behavior can also entice an agent to take special note of a passenger. We always love it when a horses-you-know-what gets the once over. I can't forget the cruise plagued by a real piece of work and when the Customs agent stopped him applause broke out in the hall. It was deafening.

When answering the query "Can I make an 8:00 a.m. flight" I always point out being honest when filling out the form and leave the food onboard.

 

 

Surely you suspected one of us would ask what the note you put in your suitcase says? :D

 

So..... what do you write to TSA?

[jocap]

I've been chosen for a case check for the US BEFORE leaving the UK....in the wake of the Towers crash, you began your check in at the UK airport, where your details were checked on computer and sent to the US whilst standing in the queue with your suitcase.

In between 2 check in desks stood a man who was claiming every 5th or so case.....instead of watching my case going down the rollers to the aeroplane, it was lifted up and I was told to open it. Because I became flustered- where was the key, what was all this about etc, he lost interest and picked up another suitcase from the rollers....and told me not to worry about it. The people standing behind were getting annoyed at the long wait, and began muttering, so one of the check in clerks told us that one in five cases going to the USA were being checked that morning.

My case lay unopened under the opened one.....I handed over the keys, but he just took my case and put it back on the rollers. We were all on a chartered flight with Princess to Fort Lauderdale.

[smeyer418]

I've been chosen for a case check for the US BEFORE leaving the UK....in the wake of the Towers crash, you began your check in at the UK airport, where your details were checked on computer and sent to the US whilst standing in the queue with your suitcase.

In between 2 check in desks stood a man who was claiming every 5th or so case.....instead of watching my case going down the rollers to the aeroplane, it was lifted up and I was told to open it. Because I became flustered- where was the key, what was all this about etc, he lost interest and picked up another suitcase from the rollers....and told me not to worry about it. The people standing behind were getting annoyed at the long wait, and began muttering, so one of the check in clerks told us that one in five cases going to the USA were being checked that morning.

My case lay unopened under the opened one.....I handed over the keys, but he just took my case and put it back on the rollers. We were all on a chartered flight with Princess to Fort Lauderdale.

 

 

This is different on all aircraft coming into the US, a certain number of passengers have everything checked while getting on the plane-sometimes everyone of them too. The stuff you sent in the hold(checked baggage) was all x-rayed. its not a customs check- its a security check. If you had any liquids in your carry on in excess of 100 ml(about 3.5 ounces) it would have been discarded.

[tigercat]

We had to open one of our suitcases when we were flying out of the Tel Aviv airport to London. I watched another lady have her suitcase torn apart as she yelled at the agent. I stayed really quiet and just did what I was told. The agent (a lady) looked at me and finally just asked me if I had bought any Dead Sea salts. I said yes. She had me point to where I had packed them in the suitcase. She very nicely lifted up the clothes (they were in the middle) and looked at the package. She then replaced everything and had me close the suitcase. Boy was I glad because the other lady had her whole suitcase torn apart.

We also had another time where we almost had to open our suitcases. We had gone on an Alaska cruise with my parents who were handicapped. The lady leading them in the wheelchairs told my husband and I to follow her and took off. We had both couples luggage with us. She was going so fast through other passengers that we couldn't keep up. She then went through customs with them and no luggage. When we got there we tried to tell the agent that all that luggage and things were not just our stuff but my parents. He didn't believe it. We went to another room and thank goodness I had ALL the receipts (my Mum saved everything, even drink receipts) and gave them to the agent. I had them in different envelopes with the names of my husband and I as well as my parents. After looking at the different names and listening to my story he let us go without us having to open suitcases.

Also, once at the border (and by the way I do not let my husband drive across the Canadian/US border usually) coming back to Canada from Buffalo for the day we hadn't bought anything. We had just wondered around and had dinner. We said we had nothing to declare. We ended up being pulled over and they went through our car. We just sat and watched them. They didn't find anything because there was nothing for them to find. We now at least buy something so we can declare it. It works.

tigercat