SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO—U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced today the implementation of the International to International (ITI) baggage pilot program at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU). Beginning May 4, CBP will conduct a 90-day pilot to assess the feasibility and efficiency of transferring passenger baggage from one aircraft entering the United States. to another aircraft departing the United States en route to a foreign destination.
"CBP welcomes the opportunity to work with our partners to find more efficient means to expedite transit passenger, while still providing the highest levels of security," said Marcelino Borges, director of Field Operations for San Juan.
Working with the Puerto Rico Port Authority, the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, and Condor Airlines, the CBP San Juan Field Office will conduct the pilot on inbound Condor Airlines flights from Frankfurt, Germany, to Panama City transiting through San Juan, Puerto Rico.
All transiting baggage on these flights will be tagged at the airport of origin. During transit through San Juan, the bags will be held in an isolated area within the CBP processing area until CBP has approved the baggage to be loaded onto the departing flight.
The reduction of international-to-international baggage in the CBP processing area is expected to significantly improve the flow of regular international baggage and passengers arriving from foreign. If successful, the pilot program may be expanded to additional flights transiting through Puerto Rico.