United Airlines has introduced a new International Remote Baggage Screening (IRBS) initiative in partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for connecting passengers with checked bags, eliminating the need to re-check baggage on select international routes. The program is currently available for daily flights from Sydney, Australia (SYD) to San Francisco, California (SFO) with onward connections to other U.S. destinations.
Since its launch, more than 160 passengers per flight have used the new process, saving up to 45 minutes in their connection journey.
How the IRBS Process Works:
Check-in at Sydney Airport: Travelers drop off checked bags as usual.
Arrival at San Francisco: Passengers proceed through CBP for customs, immigration, and agriculture inspections, then go directly to TSA security screening. Checked bags are automatically transferred to connecting flights unless selected for additional inspection by CBP.
Pick-up at Final Destination: Travelers collect their baggage at the final destination without needing to re-check it.
Jennifer Schwierzke, United’s Vice President of Customer Operations Strategy, said: “We’re streamlining the international arrival process by eliminating extra steps for travelers to pick up and re-check their bags on connecting flights. We plan to expand this process to additional international routes in the coming months.”
The initiative is launched in collaboration with Sydney Airport, BagCheck, and Brock Solutions, improving the efficiency of baggage inspections and enhancing the overall passenger experience.
Scott Charlton, Sydney Airport CEO, added: “It’s a win for passengers – saving valuable time, making connections easier, and showing how Sydney Airport and our airline partners are working together to deliver smoother, more seamless journeys.”
This initiative complements United’s recent enhancements to its mobile app for connecting passengers, including countdown timers, turn-by-turn directions to connecting gates, real-time flight updates, and ConnectionSaver notifications. Since the app updates launched, over 3.5 million customers have used the new features, achieving a 95% success rate in making connections.
