NEWS: USA trials not rechecking bags for connections, Qatar, Emirates and Virgin Atlantic route and aircraft changes
USA trials not rechecking bags for connections
One of the things I have never understood in the US is that you have to collect your luggage and recheck it after clearing customs even if you are not entering the US. I must admit this puts me off using the US as a transit to other countries. Now it seems the US is finally keen to do something about it which will be very useful since you can often get cheaper flights to places such as the Caribbean by flying via the US.
American Airlines announced today that it is partnering with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to provide a more seamless customer experience for passengers traveling internationally. 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 uses advanced technology for baggage screening so it can be done remotely. The initiative does not change any existing screening requirements.
American Airlines, CBP and the Sydney Airport Authority will begin piloting the scheme this week on the airline’s daily flight from Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Both American and CBP expect the new process to expand to other cities. Hopefully, given the fact that you would view the UK’s security processes as reliable, London may be not too far down the list. There are no plans to change the process when connecting onto US domestic flights, which will still require you to clear customs and recheck a bag. I would always allow a minimum of 3 and a half hours for the US to connect from international or more if you don’t have Mobile Passport or Global Entry. If you have your onward boarding pass and have luggage checked through there is at least somewhere in most airports to recheck your bags without going to check in again.
The initiative is part of CBP’s broader Airport Modernization Plan, which aims to improve security and traveler experiences through technological advancements. If you had asked me a few years ago, I would never have guessed that I now regard the US as one of the best countries for getting through immigration quickly with initiatives like Mobile Passport, which most people can use, and Global Entry for frequent travellers. It is a shame that the UK does not seem to take the same view of trying to improve the processes with similar schemes here.
Route and aircraft changes for Qatar Airways, Emirates and Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic
Virgin has announced timetable changes from London Heathrow in Winter 2025. Given the current slump in US demand, I can see further changes in the future.
- New York JFK – reduced from 5x to 4x daily flights
- Orlando – increase in seat capacity by approximately 160% year on year
- San Francisco – increase from 7x to 10x weekly flights
HT: @seanM1997
Emirates
Emirates had announced that they will introduce its newest Airbus A380s, fitted with its latest cabins, including Premium Economy, to Manchester and Milan. The latest retrofitted A380s will operate on EK017/018 to Manchester from 6 June, and on EK091/092 to Milan from 1 July.
One of the issues with Emirates has been the variety of business class seats, with some even being in a 2-3-2 layout with no real privacy between the seats. Emirates has been refurbishing aircraft with new seats and in the case of their A380s, updating the existing seats with a new look. These are the best seats for business class in my opinion in the Emirates fleet as they all have aisle access and plenty privacy.
With the introduction of Emirates’ newly retrofitted A380 to Manchester, the airline will also expand its Premium Economy offering to nearly 5,000 weekly seats in and out of the UK from June. The enhanced service to Manchester complements the four daily retrofitted A380s currently serving the Dubai-London Heathrow route, the Emirates A350 operating to Edinburgh, and the soon-to-launch refurbished Boeing 777 scheduled to serve London Stansted from May. Emirates Premium Economy are probably the best in category for comfort,
By July, travellers from Manchester and Milan will be able to experience Emirates’ latest cabin features onboard the four-class A380 on the full journey to key points across Australasia and Asia including Sydney, Singapore, Osaka, Mumbai, Bangalore, and more.
Qatar increases Manchester flights
If you have been looking for Qatar Avios tickets from the UK, you may want to have a look at Manchester as a departure point as Qatar has just announced additional flights.
Qatar Airways will be launching three additional flights to Manchester, UK, from 4 June 2025, to support increasing demand for the airline ahead of the summer season. The route will be served by carrier’s state-of-the-art fleet of Airbus A350-1000s and Boeing 787-9s.
Qatar Airways flights to Manchester (MAN)
The flights will depart every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday:
• Doha (DOH) to Manchester (MAN) – Flight QR25: Departure 02:40; Arrival 08:00
• Manchester (MAN) to Doha (DOH) – Flight QR26: Departure 09:30; Arrival 18:20
