tonrob

I'm sorry. On re-reading your post I see that you wrote customs, but you didn't know the other bits, so I'm happy to have at least been able to answer those parts. It's very unusual for customs to want to open your bag in your absence - a prime example would be a delayed bag that enters the US separately from you. I had that happen to me a few months ago, and the bag arrived at my doorstep with TSA locks intact and zip wrenched open all the way round.

Jerseygirl

The only time I have ever had a bag opened by customs was decades ago at Manchester Airport. My husband had been working in Amsterdam for a year. I travelled there most Friday afternoons...flying back early Monday morning. I don't travel light so always had a large suitcase. As he opened my case...I remember the customs officer saying 'you take all this for a weekend?' I laughed and told him he sounded just like my husband. He closed my case without rooting through it looking for diamonds or drugs.

mrken30

I've had a couple of times where I found a slip in my suitcase stating that the bag had been opened. That was a few years ago. I have also had my suitcase searched prior to check-in and also at customs.

Pulaski

By Customs or the TSA? ..... Tonrob was making a distinction between the two. "Before check-in"? ..... Where did that happen? Were you stopped in the car park?

ubernathan

I've had that exactly once at Heathrow before a flight to the USA. 2003 or so? I suspect the 'random' selection triggered on my and my companions scruffiness -- before we'd even got into the frequent flyer checkin line (!)

mrken30

I think it was TSA , but it's a long time ago and I can't rememeber.

I had a random search at Heathrow while standing in line to check in, and New Orleans prior to checking my luggage. This was after 911.

I also took 2 1/2 hours to board a plane while they checked everyone's carry on prior to getting on the plane. This was October 2001.

sherbert

I fly into SFO regularly, domestic and international and it's one of the more efficient airports I've been to, even during peak hours. The OP will more than likely be fine with a 1.5 hour transit time.

Security is nowhere near as thorough as you are used to in the UK and Europe.

Asg123

When I arrived at SFO last year the small lock on my suitcase was missing, and there was a note inside saying that it had been searched. There's no compensation for breaking your lock by the way- I asked. But it shouldn't delay you if your suitcase gets searched- my suitcase came the same time as the others.

tonrob

In some places you have to pass through security to enter the airport terminal. I've has my suitcase searched entering the building in Chennai.

tonrob

That's the TSA. Not uncommon.