awayIgo

Why do I think there is more to this than we are reading.

To start, the title of this thread, "TSA BROKE into bags"--NO--TSA will tell you that if you are flying through the US and are not using a TSA compliant lock your locks will be cut. ( and for some reason if they WERE compliant I am sure the OP would have said so)

Then, as pointed out, we really do not know when TSA went through the bags. Despite the comment that the OP is sure it happened during the delay--surely, even while rushing he would have noticed if the locks were missing ( I know I would have)

So, that means TSA went through his bags after check in--which is normal procedure. We don't know why his? Yes, it is hard when your "smuggled" ( which if not reported it was) food product is not rewrapped properly. And i do feel bad if his clothes were ruined. It is interesting to see what the response to a claim will be.

FlyingUnderTheRadar

There is probably little correlation between the late bags and the spilled contents.

Why the bags were late could be for any number of reasons. That is moot in regards to the real issue at hand.

To the OP you have great pictures, get things cleaned up with a cost (do not do it yourself), take everything to a dry cleaner and get the cost, send in a claim. Do not forget to include the cost of the locks but only if they were TSA approved locks.

SBR249

Unless it's fresh food or really expensive, it's probably not a problem I would think

garykung

<deleted by moderator>

To me - it sounded like more a CBP problem rather than TSA.

While it is certain that TSA touched the bag, there was nothing supporting OP's claim that TSA caused the damage. FWIW - it could be pre-existing prior to TSA.

ibling

OP here: Some clarifications;

My bag was opened in NRT as well, just prior to boarding, which is how I know all goods were secure. At IAD, I cleared immigration but not customs, international transit. Upon reaching destination (Ottawa, Canada), my bags were the first ones out (Last in first out). Unless someone went into my bag AFTER TSA screening and removed contents from a ziplock bag, there is no question that the TSA was reckless in their screening.

IAD was my only US touchdown, so obviously TSA screening was done in IAD.

My issue is not with the screening or the locks - its simply that TSA should have taken more care when putting stuff back in my bag. And yes, it wasnt "fresh food", packaged/company sealed commercial product.

UA1K_no_more

I think you lost us there. There's no "international transit" at IAD without going through customs procedures. Some pre clearance locations and some US airports (IAH, IIRC) has a one-stop immigration and customs process (the same CBP officer handles immigration and customs clearance, and the traveler identifies the luggage on a tv screen rather than picking up the bag and carrying it through customs), but I don't think that's available at IAD.

ibling

This was my first time transiting at IAD - All international transit passengers were collected from the flight into the mobile lounge and driven to a area for immigration. After clearing immigration, we waited around a belt (one of two) to pickup our luggage. Once I got mine (~45 min wait), I brought it to a drop off location, 25 ft away from the belt. That was the last I saw the bag before receiving it in Ottawa, Canada. It is possible that my bags went thru screening AFTER I dropped them off for my YOW flight.

The entire immigration/baggage pickup/droff off area seemed pretty new and controlled. Was really weird, but hey, this was my first time using US as an international transit point.

UA1K_no_more

Well, you had to go through customs clearance somewhere along the process, or the current setup allows all arriving international passengers connecting at IAD to bring their luggage into the US without going through customs.

BSBD

Jars or cans in checked luggage are a near-guarantee that TSA will do a manual search of your checked luggage. Given the expected rough handling of checked luggage, it's tempting to wrap and bury things like glass jars in your bag, but doing so means it will get searched. The more difficult it is to get to the contents, the more likely it is that the baggage searcher will fail to take reasonable care.

When I travel with foodstuffs in glass jars or cans, I make it as easy as possible for TSA to get at the items, and I put a note in the luggage that describes what I'm carrying. I also make a point not to heavily load individual bags, and I don't use locks (not even "TSA-approved" locks). So far I haven't found breakage or leakage.

Loren Pechtel

Have they stopped putting love notes in our bags?

I had two I expected a search of (one containing almost entirely jars of powder and bottles of liquid)--no love note, things were as I packed them.

docbert

... and hope that they don't decide to check if "Food" was ticked on the customs form.

Often1

Let me repeat. There is no such thing as "transit" in the US. There has not been any such concept since the mid-1990's.

There are some stations with various processes for those with I-T-I connections, but there is still no such thing as transit and all bags are subject to inspection by Customs and screening by TSA, whether observed by the passenger or not.

In particular, all bags arriving from overseas and connecting onwards, whether to an international or domestic destination are screened by TSA. This is typically a back office operation as it is for all checked luggage at IAD (since about 2005).

Who knows what happened here. But, bottom line is that the Customs declaration, form (both paper & electronic) could not be more clear. Food is food. Any food and you must check the "yes" box and then explain that to an appropriate CBP / Ag Officer.

teddybear99

OK, I have never used IAD as an entry point to the USA, so I don't understand why all baggage and all passengers arriving on an international flight are not taken to the same immigration area upon arrival. I don't see why her luggage would have been taken to another terminal as it would need to pass customs.

At all airports I have used, everyone comes into the same immigration area, clears immigration, claims their checked bags if any, and then proceeds to a Custom's official who determines if secondary inspection is necessary. The ones that are sent to secondary inspection for whatever reason, will have their luggage opened for a manual inspection, and once cleared continue to the following. If not, those who are terminating at the airport exit out one door area, while those who are connecting, whether it be a domestic (more common) or international, then either carry their bags to check in on another airline, or drop them back on a new belt which will take it to their connecting flight.

At this point, the passenger is rescreened as they are entering the secured airside of the airport as well as their luggage is screened by TSA. As with all domestic/international check-ins, the luggage is opened if something looks suspicious. At no time does TSA know or care if something was declared, as this would be handled by Customs prior to them receiving the luggage.

As per the OP, she received the notice from TSA in her luggage that it was opened and inspected. If the locks attached were not TSA compliant, they were cut off. The TSA agent did not repack the items in the secured way the OP did which caused them to break and the resulting damage as shown in the pictures. The quick repack was probably a result of the short time required to get it to the plane on time.

So I have two points:

1. Does IAD have separate areas for transit passengers and terminating passengers?

2. Has the OP filed a claim with the pictures for recourse with the TSA?

UA1K_no_more

Yes. Passengers who end their trip at IAD clear immigration and customs at the main terminal and exit landside there. Passengers who are connecting (at least the ones arriving on UA and most partner airlines) clear immigration and customs at the midfield clearance location at the end of terminal C, drop their bags, and clear security to go into terminal C (from where they can connect to all other terminals airside).
Bags are supposed to be routed to the appropriate location, but sometimes a bag ends up in the wrong container and is sent to the wrong location at IAD.