I’d never heard of IRBS until a couple of days ago. It stands for International Remote Baggage Screening and it sounds like a real time saver, so hopefully its implementation expands quickly.

It is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection program that authorizes officers to review X-ray images of checked bags overseas while a flight is en route to the United States. This allows eligible connecting passengers to skip collecting and rechecking their luggage at their first U.S. port of entry.

Without having to claim your bags at the first airport you arrive at in the U.S. can save a substantial amount of time. There have been times when we’ve waited well over half an hour for the  luggage from our international flight to even start dropping onto the carousel. The whole time you’re sitting there waiting for you bags to come up, you’re worrying about whether or not you’ll make your connection.

How the Process Works:

1. Check Bag: Drop off checked luggage at the international departure counter as normal.
2. In-Flight Screening: Foreign airport security captures X-ray images and securely transmits them to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for remote review while the plane flies to the States.
3. Arrive in the U.S.: Clear customs, immigration, and agriculture inspections, then proceed straight to security or your connecting gate without picking up your main bag (unless flagged for an extra check).
4. Final Destination: Collect your luggage at baggage claim at your final stop.

The only problem is that this program is still in its infancy and has only been introduced on a very limited number of routes and airports. But keep your fingers crossed that these early trials are a success and that the program is expanded to more and more routes and airports. I know we’re anxious to see it come to our flight home from Jamaica.