alphaod

I was getting off my flight yesterday at SFO and I guess for the Super Bowl they decided to fence off the arrivals baggage claim and asked everyone for their baggage tag claim ticket. I outright refused since I didn't know where I put it and I proceeded to continue. Then the lady proceeded to block me with her body. I did not wish to run her over, so I stopped and she ripped the tags off my bag, asked for my ID and threatened that she was going to call the police.

I told her to call the police, which I guess caught her off guard, so then she claimed I assaulted her. Her supervisor stepped in and we talked it over; he was much more reasonable and I did not really want to escalate the situation further, so I relented, looked through my bags to look for my claim tags (which I found after a lot of searching).

I did not have a connection and I was on my way out of the airport.

Did I have the right to refuse this check?


(Just FYI, I always refuse to be checked unless it's required me by law or it's like a membership store like Costco, etc.)

firecracker725

I don't know whether or not you had the "right" to refuse this check, but I don't know why you would be so hostile to someone who might help prevent others' bags from being stolen. That staff member was there for your safety.

guv1976

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

I don't know the answer to your question, but I assume you'd be OK with the guard not body-blocking a thief who tried to walk off with your luggage, right?

pa3lsvt

I haven't had anyone ask me for a claim check since May 2000 in LAX. (Not that I check all that often.)

However, that is the specific purpose of the claim check - to demonstrate that the bags belong to the person that took them off the belt. The fact that they are so infrequently checked does not mean the claim checks have no purpose, just that we aren't used to showing them any more.

Many airports deal with luggage theft, even to the point of setting up stings to catch perps in the act. An event like SB50, with all the wealthy people attending, must be a luggage thief's dream: just loiter around a baggage carousel for an ORD, ATL, EWR, or JFK flight and wait for the first LV or Coach bag that comes out and walk off with it. Even if the bag doesn't have expensive electronics, jewelry, etc., the bag itself can be sold at a premium.

I'm like you - you don't get me to "show your papers" just by asking nicely. However, in this case I don't find the request illegitimate - just unexpected - and I would be willing to dig out those claim checks since that is their specific and explicit purpose.

Now, the BS about calling the police and the false claim of assault is irresponsible but is how (normally) powerless people with (temporary) authority tend to act when challenged. I am assuming the employee was an underpaid contractor (eg. normally powerless with temporary authority) who was being challenged by your actions.

Expected behavior? Sure. Acceptable behavior? Not at all. You sort of fanned the flames but the supervisor did exactly what they should have done: disengaged the rogue employee and assuaged the customer's anger by explaining the purpose of the check, and then managing to perform the check that was originally refused. Sounds like the system eventually got to the correct result but took the long way to get there.

arollins

In SJU is customary to check the tag before exiting the airport, remember to avoid it for future travels. With Super Bowl and all that it is comonsense that there is high securities in many areas. Your behavior was rather odd and could have been concidered a threat. Should have played nice and endure the 5-10 minute wait.

jsk1973

This belongs in the DYKWIA thread.

alphaod

I understand the point of the check. I did not expect it, that's all. In fact I was just heading out when the employee approached me, so I said, "No thank you," as I was not interested in anything she was going to offer me.

I wrote the backstory because I wanted to ask this question, that's all

At no point was I hostile. I simply said, no thank you.

I did not assault her, nor did I once raise my voice. The staff was not there for my safety. If anything it is was for the airline's liability.

Yes, I am comfortable knowing that a thief could walk off with my luggage. It's like I'm do not want the police barricading my home because there is a risk of burglary. I do not wish to live in an environment of constant fear of risk.

That's good to know. I have never flown into SJU.

bchandler02

I normally refuse to participate in any screening that isn't legally required as well, but I have no issue with this. As long as it is just a quick check to make sure it matches, no recording of info/interrogation/etc, then all good.

How else are airports supposed to catch baggage theft?

Often1

Many airports do this around major events. Places like LGA do this routinely. Try this type of conduct there and you'll spend some time with the Port Authority coppers explaining just how little they like people who make life difficult.

I wish the poor slobs stuck with this job were just asked to have an AA employee come over, get the tag information and have AA fire the customer. Who needs 'em?

wetrat0

It's sometimes done, though uncommon. But the bag claim check is just like any other claim check.

You have to present a claim check when you pick up your dry cleaning, your valet parked car, or your coat at a theater/museum coat check. In each of these cases, you entrust your belongings to a third party, who then requires you to produce the claim check to get them back. I don't see how this is different. It is definitely NOT the same as having your belongings or your person searched or being questioned.

wetrat0

This isn't "screening". You give the airline your bag and in return they give you a sticker that entitles you to reclaim it. Moreover, if your bag does not turn up the airline is liable to compensate you (up to certain limits). Perhaps, if we were willing to waive any claim to compensation against the airline (which is FT blasphemy!) then we could expect the airline to give up its right to demand the claim check. As long as the airline is contractually obligated to deliver the bag to the right person, I don't see how else this could be accomplished.

phil_flyer

Seems like a case of checking the checker.

chrisny2

ATL had this years ago. They stopped as a cost cutting measure. Honestly it would be great if all airports checked claim checks (and staffed sufficiently to avoid lines hahaha!) to prevent baggage theft. Certainly during a major event, threats of theft go up and this is a very logical measure.

jsk1973

None of this stuff happens just out of the blue. There's either been an uptick in baggage thefts and the airport and/or airlines responded, or they're trying to preempt problems/bad press during Super Bowl week.

QueenOfCoach

In other words, the claim checker Didn't Know Who You Were.