Detained at Customs

[arken 4,197]

1 hour ago, Family said:

Personally I think it’s a baggage boo boo , I certainly have had my luggage take trips without me , arrive before or after me on international flights….but some posters are convinced there is a plot twist and a mysterious  other companion on the flight….that had the courage to collect someone else’s luggage AND the gumption to go check it in independent of the ticket holder/ boarding pass..hmmm. 
 

OP, hold on to the saying “ Everything happens for a reason “ . 

You are comparing apples and oranges. A baggage may continue to the final destination even if the person doesn't board the next plane during transit where one is not required to collect it. However a baggage that has to be claimed by the owner at POE, then go through custom and then again rechecked in in an entirely new domestic terminal for the next domestic flight, it can never make it to the ongoing flight.

 

If someone is passing through the transit with preclearance locations like Abu Dhabi , Toronto, and others, then the baggage may make it to the next flight even if the person gets stuck at immigration over there. Completely different cases.

 

 

Edited May 22, 2022 by arken

[Boiler 45,740]

I certainly remember cases where the beneficiary has entered and disappeared.

 

Multiple calls is also odd, but seems a stretch to assume an elaborate ploy. I am as cynical as the best of them but that sounds a strectch.

 

FOIA well that would be something for him to seek, not sure she can.

 

But then he was there and knows what happened, how it went down.

 

And all that would be if they wish to look at US Immigration again, seems a lot of issues to address first.

 

 

Edited May 22, 2022 by Boiler

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

3 hours ago, Family said:

Though I applaud the VJ quick responses and presentation of all possible scenarios, the baggage is not an indicator

. The first call from CBP clearly says he will be making the flight, is just finishing the interview, thus his luggage was NOT FLAGGED at that time and allowed to continue its original boarding to next leg of the journey. 

Have you ever transferred flights after landing internationally? How did your luggage make the connection? There’s no pixie dust at the airport.
 

Still waiting for OP to clarify if she got the baggage.

Edited May 22, 2022 by SusieQQQ

[Boiler 45,740]

54 minutes ago, Mike E said:

Someone in DHS or DoS reading VJ would do it.  

It is possible, but is there enough posted here to point in one persons direction.

[Lemonslice 4,922]

26 minutes ago, arken said:

You are comparing apples and oranges. A baggage may continue to the final destination even if the person doesn't board the next plane during transit where one is not required to collect it. However a baggage that has to be claimed by the owner at POE, then go through custom and then again rechecked in in an entirely new domestic terminal for the next domestic flight, it can never make it to the ongoing flight.

 

If someone is passing through the transit with preclearance locations like Abu Dhabi , Toronto, and others, then the baggage may make it to the next flight even if the person gets stuck at immigration over there. Completely different cases.

 

 

It happens. Shouldn't happen, but mistakes happen.  Airlines do mistakes, customs and immigration also.  In this case, who knows.  Whole thing is sketch.

[Boiler 45,740]

2 minutes ago, Lemonslice said:

It happens. Shouldn't happen, but mistakes happen.  Airlines do mistakes, customs and immigration also.  In this case, who knows.  Whole thing is sketch.

How?

 

I have been through Chicago quite a few times and can not imagine how that would happen.

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

1 minute ago, Lemonslice said:

It happens. Shouldn't happen, but mistakes happen.  Airlines do mistakes, customs and immigration also.  In this case, who knows.  Whole thing is sketch.

How? It requires someone to pick it up , take it through customs (would you take a stranger’s case through customs?) and drop it off at the correct baggage desk for the connection. How exactly does this “mistake” get made?
 

Anyway in the absence of OP clarifying much (maybe she never got the baggage, and it was just coincidentally a stranger who took it without checking the tag) this all seems a little pointless. There are big gaps in the story but I suspect OP doesn’t know what is filling those gaps. 

[SteveInBostonI130 3,471]

5 hours ago, Shelldb said:

The CBP gave me a courtesy call when I was waiting for him at the airport. I called them back to see what flights they rebooked him on. 

 

5 hours ago, Shelldb said:

The CBP contacted me three times. The first time was a courtesy call to let me know he is still being interviewed and will be on the next flight. The second call was to tell me he is being returned to Nigeria and the third time was to see if I picked up his luggage. I called them back to see what flight he was rebooked on. At this very moment he is still detained. Once he boards the aircraft he will get his phone back. I’m not sure if the CBP offered him the chance to withdraw his request to enter the US. I just know he is barred for 5 years.  I’m speaking with an attorney on Monday. 

 

Hi,

 

Just out of curiosity, did CBP use your fiance's phone to call you?  Or did they call from a different number and you called the Chicago O'Hare CBP number: (773) 686-7066 ?

 

EDIT:  The above is for Global Entry enrollment.  The main contact number for International Arrivals is  (773) 686-2800

Edited May 22, 2022 by SteveInBostonI130

[Lemonslice 4,922]

Just now, Boiler said:

How?

 

I have been through Chicago quite a few times and can not imagine how that would happen.

Luggage is labeled to destination and transferred by baggage handlers.  It's not frequent, but I've seen it.  Job in college was at the airport lost and found.  Things happen in the weirdest way sometimes 🤷‍♀️

[PatLuvO 284]

3 minutes ago, Lemonslice said:

It happens. Shouldn't happen, but mistakes happen.  Airlines do mistakes, customs and immigration also.  In this case, who knows.  Whole thing is sketch.

I truly hope she gets all the information surrounding this ordeal and can find peace to move forward with whichever path they decide.

[Lemonslice 4,922]

2 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

How? It requires someone to pick it up , take it through customs (would you take a stranger’s case through customs?) and drop it off at the correct baggage desk for the connection. How exactly does this “mistake” get made?
 

Anyway in the absence of OP clarifying much (maybe she never got the baggage, and it was just coincidentally a stranger who took it without checking the tag) this all seems a little pointless. There are big gaps in the story but I suspect OP doesn’t know what is filling those gaps. 

It doesn't make it to the belt, it's transferred on the tarmac/luggage hold area. 

Anyway, luggage is only one bit of this story. 

[Dashinka 24,645]

Interesting Saturday evening reading.

 

[Lemonslice 4,922]

2 minutes ago, Dashinka said:

Interesting Saturday evening reading.

 

Where in the world is Carmen Santiago? vibes.

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

8 minutes ago, Lemonslice said:

It doesn't make it to the belt, it's transferred on the tarmac/luggage hold area. 

Anyway, luggage is only one bit of this story. 

But all the baggage on International incoming flights all goes to the customs area first. So you’re saying what, one bag happened to fall off the big cart thing from the plane (im assuming you’re not saying hundreds of bags from a flight all got incorrectly handled by not going to customs?) and another handler found it and transferred it incorrectly and that just happened to be the bag of the person that got detained. Um. 

Edited May 22, 2022 by SusieQQQ

[Lemonslice 4,922]

Just now, SusieQQQ said:

But all the baggage on International incoming flights all goes to the customs area first. So you’re saying what, one bag happened to fall off the big cart thing from the plane (im assuming you’re not saying hundreds of bags from a flight all got incorrectly handled?) and another handler found it and transferred it incorrectly and that just happened to be the bag of the person that got detained. Um. 

I have no idea what happened in this case, just many ways it could have happened/happens everyday. 

Again, not enough details to really know here.

 

Personally, unless OP called CBP and the airline herself through their public numbers, I am not convinced she talked to them.

 

Another very common situation where luggage goes through customs and is transferred by the airline is when the luggage was delayed on one of the previous flights of the journey.  Lost and found was a great job in college.