# TSA mangles more baggage



## CHamilton (Apr 16, 2015)

TSA Agents Outwitted By Cory Doctorow's Unlocked, 'TSA-Safe' Suitcase

Another reason I'm not looking forward to flying home from my current trip.


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## Anderson (Apr 16, 2015)

You know, I'm wondering...would it be possible to take the TSA supervisor at a given airport (since you can't sue the government itself) to small claims court for negligently damaging bags? You might actually get a default judgment.


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## jis (Apr 16, 2015)

For all you know they are probably individually protected from such when working for the TSA. But maybe not.

OTOH, I have seen people collect on such from their property insurer, on damage to or theft of baggage. That might be much easier than mucking around with courts.


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## Anderson (Apr 16, 2015)

jis said:


> For all you know they are probably individually protected from such when working for the TSA. But maybe not.
> 
> OTOH, I have seen people collect on such from their property insurer, on damage to or theft of baggage. That might be much easier than mucking around with courts.


Actually, having not read a contract of carriage lately...what about going after the airline (since I think it would be quite a stretch to call this "normal wear and tear").


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## jis (Apr 16, 2015)

I suppose the airline will say that the gummit did it  Go ask Uncle Sam


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## railiner (Apr 17, 2015)

Solution? Buy luggage from Samsonite....

I cannot say enough good things about that company... A few years ago the nincompoop's from TSA destroyed the latch on my then 7 year old, and long out-of-warranty, TSA lock suitcase. When I went to the airline baggage department, they apologized, but said that it was 'out of their hands'....

They did refer me to an excellent baggage repair shop near JFK.

I left my bag with them, and about a week later, UPS delivered it to my home, as good as new.

The attached invoice stated that repair and shipping charges were paid in full, by Samsonite!


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## cirdan (Apr 17, 2015)

jis said:


> I suppose the airline will say that the gummit did it  Go ask Uncle Sam


If you entrust your bag to the airline, and receive it back from the airline, then it was in the airline's care throughout. If they let third parties attack your luggage with crowbars (and the TSA is a third party in this context), the airline cannot shrug their shoulders in innocence. You are paying the airline to bring a bag from A to B unbroken and if they fail in that endeavour, they are responsible for compensating you and it is up to them to go after the third party to recover the compensation money.

If I contract a moving company to bring some furniture from A to B and on the road the moving truck gets attacked by idiots with crowbars who smash my furniture, surely the moving company's insurance pays and its for the moving company or their insurance to press criminal charges. It's not my job to do that.

Methinks airlines are being too cavalier about the whole thing.

If the TSA were inundated with criminal charges from airlines who actually care, i'm sure their behavior and attitude would change pretty fast.


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## PRR 60 (Apr 17, 2015)

There is a process to file a claim with TSA for luggage damaged during inspections. Since TSA clearly identifies damage they caused (in this case using tape with TSA and their logo to hold the bag closed), I would think that filing the claim with TSA would be the proper procedure.


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## jis (Apr 17, 2015)

That's true. They certainly identify exactly what they broke. For some odd reason they broke my TSA lock in Orlando and very carefully returned to me the broken lock duly taped on the love letter that they leave in your bag when they inspect it. Should have been fun, just for the kicks to make a claim against TSA for one broken lock and see what happens. Bet they would have gladly spent more money on processing the paperwork than the lock was worth.

BTW, AFAICT the reason for breaking in was that I had packed my hiking boots in the bag since there really was nothing else that would cause concern in an X-Ray scan of the bag. As for why they broke the lock instead of just opening it ... who knows?


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## Bob Dylan (Apr 17, 2015)

Because they can jis! They're from the government and their job is to inspect and wreck! Sigh.

TSA= Thousands stand around!!


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