GUWonder

File a claim against the airline. It's hard to know for sure whether it was the TSA or a bungling or browsing airline employee who ruined the tie when zipping up the bag.

If the airline wants to go after the TSA, it's the airline's issue.

drbencasey

I had my bag searched and re-packed. I was traveling with a DVD recorder which I had carefully packed and cushioned. When they repacked it, they threw everything and it was damaged, costing me several hundred dollars to repair. They just sent me a letter stating that they don't have a record of searching my bag. Really? Then what was the form inside the luggage saying that the bag was checked by the TSA? Now what should I do?

FlyingUnderTheRadar

Welcome FT - was your claim denied? If denied your are screwed. Otherwise, you may need to supply more information - for instance did you note that there was a TSA notice of inspection? What was the complete details of the letter?

lboyer

I flew from FLL to PHL on Saturday. All of the liquid items in my bag were in zipped ziplock bags and placed strategically to prevent any damage to clothing. When I got home and opened my suitcase I immediately smelled my head protectant spray and noticed my clothes were wet. Then I saw an unsealed zip lock bag and a TSA inspection notice near the top of the bag. Of course the spray, doused a dry clean only dress that costs upwards of $100 (which I was going to be wearing to a wedding in a few weeks) and caused the colors to run. Do I have any recourse? My whole suitcase was an absolute mess. Everything that had been folded was a mess, and I had to wash all of the already clean clothing to get the spray out. I have pictures of the dress, and I still have the form. Do i contact TSA, JetBlue, my travel insurance which covered both our cruise and the flights? I am going to get the dress to the dry cleaners tomorrow when they open to see what they can do but I am not holding out much hope since it dried before the cleaners opened from the long weekend.

FlyingUnderTheRadar

I would say your best bet is to file a claim with TSA and your travel insurance. But I would not hold out much hope with either as both will likely claim the items were not packaged properly for air travel. Zipped zip locked bags only help contain the mess when bottles open. That said I would contact the airport TSA that did the inspection of your bag and ask them to pull the taps of the inspection. If the TSA did open one of the ziplocks that spilled its contents you might have some success.

Good luck and welcome to FT.

petaluma1

Claim form:

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/passenger-support/claims

Great that you have pictures! Be prepared to wait at least 6 months for any resolution.

TSA claims: "Our officers are trained to treat your property w/care & screening areas monitored."

Has anybody ever found an inspection notice in their neatly repacked luggage?

In future, take photos of the contents of your luggage before you had it over to TSA.

thebedouin10

Has anyone experienced if their luggage has been damaged by TSA?

I know there is a huge room for error but its the first time that had happened to me. MNL-HKG-SFO.

Luggage was actually full of dried mangoes and bananas to give as treats to my colleagues overseas. I noticed my zipper was broken. I do not put valuables in my luggage.

Does the passenger have any claims for damage?

TWA884

I doubt that the TSA inspected your bag on a MNL-HKG-SFO itinerary.

Loren Pechtel

1) TSA doesn't inspect on arrival. The originating airports aren't TSA territory.

2) You would have lost the contents to customs at SFO anyway.

flyerCO

Do you mean SFO-HKG-MNL? No there's no claim. 1)No proof that it was TSA, and not HKG or Phillipines customs/security. Also it's illegal to bring fruit, even dried into most countries without license. The seed could still be viable, and just being a different species can be harmful. One just needs to take a look at bananas as a case in point.

thebedouin10

Many thanks TWA884,

Then it must've been in MNL. Hahaha.
I would also surmise that there would be a sign/placard over my luggage that it has been checked by TSA.

Loren Pechtel Thanks for the info.
I would agree with you as well. No lost contents; just a damaged zipper.

Hey flyerCO!
It's MNL-HKG-SFO (CX route). The padlock was in the right place but the teeth of the zipper was askew. Noticed this when I unpacked at the Hilton.

PS
Mums the word on the dried fruit

Loren Pechtel

You find a piece of paper inside the bag. Commonly referred to on here as TSA love notes.

From Google:


Half of the early images for TSA love note return such forms, I simply picked a clearer one.

thebedouin10

Thanks Loren Pechtel! Love Notes, that cute. Haha.
I recall in SFO, that there were some bags that were in trays that had a signage that it was checked by TSA.

I am grateful to all for your responses. Many thanks again!

flyerCO

FYI, when I travel international now I use the plastic security locks, like used by a FA for alcohol carts. Can easily be removed, and even if they try and place another, they have individual numbers on them.

thebedouin10

I've heard of those, yeah I'll give those a go. Thanks flyerCO!