Is baggage claim before or after customs?

You can go through immigration without your luggage, but customs will be located after baggage claim.

How long does it take for bags to get to baggage claim?

Normally, passengers can expect to see their checked bags anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes after arrival, according to Nick Gates, a director at SITA, an aviation technology company. An airport’s size, passenger capacity and the degree of modernization in its bag handling all play a role.

How does in airport baggage handling work?

In airport baggage is handled from the check-in desk to the Unit Load Device (ULD) via a Baggage Handling System. In about 15 minutes the baggage is automatically sorted, thanks to some sensors that scan the bag tag attached to your luggage. In the meanwhile the baggage undergo X-Ray and potentially other security checks.

Why do people hang around baggage claim?

Travellers hang around baggage claim to do only one thing: get their baggage. Coming straight off the plane they are rarely distracted from this task and often crowd right in front of the carousel where the baggage comes out of. Someone who has valuables will surely be in the vicinity.

What happens to your luggage when you get off the plane?

Since the bags are already sorted when they come off the plane, it is easy to keep the transferring bags separate from the terminating bags. When the bags get to the baggage-claim area, they are loaded onto a short conveyor that deposits them onto the carousel.

How does the baggage collection work on a plane?

The baggage collection at the end of the journey is handled by the belt that delivers luggage to passengers, where the suitcases that have just been unloaded from the airplane have been directed, thanks to special loading platforms. In this case also, the right delivery path is chosen thanks to the label put on the suitcase.