How to make a claim to TSA?

corwise

corwise

Joined
Nov 10, 2006
Messages
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Last week my wife flew to the States to visit our parents. She put her custom David Mosier in her checked luggage. Once arriving in NM, she found a note saying her bag had been randomly inspected. No big deal, except she can't find her knife or a pair of Ipad speakers. We have no proof that they took them, but that's the obvious guess. Has anyone filed a claim with them before? Is it worth a shot or because we can't prove anything we're SOL? Thanks.
 
I haven't flown since TSA rose from the depths of hell to torment the world, so I haven't filed a claim. Maybe in August, when I HAVE to fly. I'm working on a special anti-TSA theft device.

That being said, I see that you are in Okinawa. Coupling it with your log-in name I would guess Fatima (sp?). Check with base legal. The procedures may vary depending on whether she was flying commercial or milcontract flight. They'll be able to tell you how to proceed. I would definitely file a claim and when they denied the claim, I would write a letter to both home state senators and my representative politely complaining about the thieves at TSA. The only way to fix problems is to let the fixers know it exists.

Yes, I know some people will say don't rock the boat. Well, just call me "Don Quixote", since I am stubborn enough to be the south end of a north-bound mule charging at the windmills. Then again, I've been burgled 6 times. :mad: My attitude toward thieves is somewhat less that capital punishment but not much. You definitely don't want me on your jury if you're up for theft. :D
 
I doubt you will get anything back, but I would file a claim. The thieves count on people not filing claims.
 
i would agree. If you don't file a complaint nothing will ever change. I never pack anything in luggage I can't afford to loose.
 
I just flew to Florida from Montreal with a custom knife in my checked bag, I was sweating bullets the whole time but luckily it was still there when I got my bag. I didnt even wait until I was gone, I checked the second I got my bag. My guess is call the TSA and ask your questions there, good luck.
 
I have read and heard stories from people about TSA stealing stuff from people. That's a good reason enough to get rid of them. Try to find a congress person or a Florida senator to contact. Just not one of the so called Democrats. There as sorry as you can get. Maybe if somebody from a different country raised enough he** they would do something about it. You could also contact one of the news agency's.
 
thefts are from baggage handlers that open and grab,not actual tsa agents.if you can prove otherwise please do so.
 
nagod said:
thefts are from baggage handlers that open and grab,not actual tsa agents.if you can prove otherwise please do so.
Click to expand...

Can't PROVE squat, but everyone I know who flies does LOCK their luggage... with TSA approved / TSA universal key locks.

Baggage handlers don't have time to search much while moving bags from one plane to another or to/from the planes/baggage area docks, so if the bag is locked, the baggage handlers aren't going to be the major problem.

TSA folks do have time to search through bags because that is what they are doing...searching bags

So,

IF something is removed from a LOCKED bag...

EITHER

a TSA employee opened the bag and took the missing item

OR

a TSA employee lost/sold a key to a non-authorized person, who then took the missing item. This means there was a security breach if a non-TSA employee was able to access bags in that manner, which is what their jobs are supposed to be preventing.

Therefore, it is still TSA's fault AND problem.
 
zzyzzogeton said:
Can't PROVE squat, but everyone I know who flies does LOCK their luggage... with TSA approved / TSA universal key locks.

Baggage handlers don't have time to search much while moving bags from one plane to another or to/from the planes/baggage area docks, so if the bag is locked, the baggage handlers aren't going to be the major problem.

TSA folks do have time to search through bags because that is what they are doing...searching bags

So,

IF something is removed from a LOCKED bag...

EITHER

a TSA employee opened the bag and took the missing item

OR

a TSA employee lost/sold a key to a non-authorized person, who then took the missing item. This means there was a security breach if a non-TSA employee was able to access bags in that manner, which is what their jobs are supposed to be preventing.

Therefore, it is still TSA's fault AND problem.
Click to expand...


I'm not going out to defend TSA, but I want to point out there are quick and discreet methods getting into luggage without a TSA employee's key.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf-DGKUNffI

Travel with the mindset that your checked luggage cannot be 100% secure. Pack items that would only be a setback if missing. Avoid packing irreplaceable items.
 
You,my unfortunate friend are indeed 110% SOL regardless of what actions you may take. The TSA operates with impunity and are a bunch of thieving,ignorant ,

inept, personnel. I am sorry for your loss but I think you can safely kiss that Mosier farewell. Sad part is that whomever swiped it,probably has no clue to it's

value.I have had a leatherman and a SAK go AWOL but never even bothered to file a claim;perhaps that's bad on my part but I did not want the aggravation and

knew what the ultimate outcome wold be.

You will find plenty of info on the net defending the TSA and how closely they are monitored blah,blah,blah. It's all a bunch of hokum.
 
GSO said:
I'm not going out to defend TSA, but I want to point out there are quick and discreet methods getting into luggage without a TSA employee's key.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf-DGKUNffI

Travel with the mindset that your checked luggage cannot be 100% secure. Pack items that would only be a setback if missing. Avoid packing irreplaceable items.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I was not aware that it was that easy to get in without leaving evidence of entry. As I said in my first post in this thread, I have not flown since 9/11. No need since I got laid off from a corporate job 4 months prior to that event and have just driven when I needed to get somewhere. If someone needs me somewhere, they can pay for me to drive there. My attitude, their choice. Also, my luggage pieces since 1992 have been Pelican cases which have no zippers, making breach of locks a necessity, in my case.

That being said, I still say it would be a serious breach of security if the luggage handlers are allowed enough time to do what was demonstrated in the video. They could put something in (bomb, drugs, diamonds, banned reptiles, etc) just as easily as they could take something out. Therefore, the onus is STILL on TSA to prevent either from occurring, period. If they can't do that, they don't need to be on the job. Maybe, TSA is not needed at all, if that level of laxity is the norm.
 
Sorry to hear that man, that's why I lock my knives to the frame if my suitcase.
 
When I fly, I actually photograph whatever I consider valuable as it is packed in my luggage. I also write a list. I have even gone so far as to photograph the items with "today's paper" shown next to them (showing the date clearly). I do this because I trust no one I don't yet know unless I have good reason to (feedback here, for example).
 
I'm quick to blame TSA for many things. But as others here have said, many people have access to your luggage between check-in and baggage claim, and there is no particular reason to suspect TSA versus anyone else. I just don't check things that would be desired by thieves and expensive to replace.

If you need a knife at your destination, have your favorite knife seller or Amazon send a Mora or Opinel there before you're to arrive. You can pack it in your luggage for the journey home or leave it as a gift.
 
I was going to post that article but you beat me to it. I was the one who posted that link on another thread several months back where the OP had a knife go "missing." Fortunately he found it and nothing went missing.

That said I've had family claim to have things missing after going through TSA--the exact cause still unknown, but taken by TSA--probable. I myself though have never had anything lost or stolen through the airport or TSA and the TSA employees that I've talked to are relatively friendly.
 
I think that it would be unlikely to be the baggage handlers (ramp agents). They have very limited exposure to the luggage, mostly just pulling it off of or putting it on to conveyances. And the venues in which they handle the luggage are relatively public. It would be hard for someone not to notice one or more of them opening and closing enough bags to find something of value.
 
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