UALOneKPlus

I usually avoid checking in luggage. On a recent WN flight, I was forced to check luggage, however, due to the fact it was slightly over-sized.

Upon arriving at my destination, I noticed my bag had been opened, and contents rifled through. The zipper was not closed all the way (I had zip-tied the zippers upon check-in), and the interior contents were re-shuffled. There was no TSA note telling me it had been inspected. On top of that, I had a luggage strap keeping the luggage secure, and the luggage strap had been repositioned obviously.

I thought the TSA were required to leave a note if they go through your bag?

I had nothing of real value in the luggage - shampoo, clothes, vitamins, etc. Anything electronic, including chargers, were all kept on my carry on. I wonder why they would open it in the first place.

Sky auditor

That happens to me all of the time. I usually fly with water bottles and vodka in my checked luggage so it is routinely pawed through. I haven't seen a letter from the TSA in probably at least 2 years now. Occasionally there is a station stamp or sticker on the baggage tag but most of the time the only evidence is the disarray of the contents. The way the bag is repacked most of the time shows quite obviously they don't care to make a favorable impression.

Caradoc

Evidence suggests that the only rules and regulations that the TSA cares about enforcing are the ones that force the traveler to COMPLY, COMPLY, COMPLY.

jtodd

Those, but also the secret ones so that they can make any up as they go along just to harass citizens.

cordelli

You are also making the assumption it was the TSA who went through your luggage, it could have been others looking for stuff for ebay

cb1111

While I hate it when my stuff is rearranged and creased as well, I'd much rather have a wrinkled shirt than a bag that misses my flight because the screener took the time to fold everything neatly.

The fact is that it is often our packing that causes them to rummage around. I put all my chargers, cables and so forth into a packing cube that is either in an exterior pocket or easily visible once the suitcase is opened.

Liquids are triple bagged in ziploc bags so they are visible and under the first layer of clothing.

I have nothing in my bag that would be worthy of selling on eBay - I also don't subscribe to the FlyerTalk conspiracy theories that TSA or the airlines are out to get me.

bzbdewd

This has happened to us several times. Once we had a bunch of stuff added to the bag that wasn't ours... a bunch of locks, some one else's toiletries and a luggage hook. I almost never get a TSA love note. When I had a much better bag (TUMI) it used to get searched just about every trip. Now I have a grungy old generic bag and it happens less often.

Houston.Business

That's a good point, but I will always file a claim with the TSA because it is them that require me to leave my bags unlocked.

I use TSA locks, but to date, I have 8 locks unaccounted for. The highly intelligent screeners either cut them off, or don't replace them.

yknot

[QUOTE=I use TSA locks, but to date, I have 8 locks unaccounted for. The highly intelligent screeners either cut them off, or don't replace them.[/QUOTE]

Didn't anyone inform you that TSA locks are single use.

AngryMiller

LOL. Sure seems that way, but like nearly everything else associated with it, the locks fail all too readily.

eturowski

Ignorance... is... bliss. (JFK, LAX, and EWR, respectively.)

While neither the TSA nor the airlines are overtly out to "get" anyone as a whole, they do not take reasonable action to curtail or punish their thieving employees.

Caradoc

They've also forced at least one airport to issue a security badge to a convicted felon. (Felony Robbery!)

If the TSA will hire someone convicted of robbery, why would anything think they're going to do anything about petty theft?

UALOneKPlus

I hear what you're saying, but doesn't the TSA stand for Transportation Security Agency?

I'll try to say this with a straight face - if the TSA can't secure my luggage while it's in transit, why do we EVEN have the TSA in the very first place?

What would prevent a terrorist from planting a bomb or other threats into anyone's unsecured luggage if the TSA is not securing my checked luggage? I assume we have the TSA to check luggage so that it remains secure pre-flight, during the flight, and maybe even post-flight???

The TSA MUST make sure ALL checked luggage is secure from the moment it is checked by a passenger to the moment it's delivered on the luggage carousel. Otherwise why even bother having the TSA scanning luggage if it can be so easily contaminated and messed with by non TSA people???

Shouldn't we disband the TSA if it can't even fulfill the simple duty of securing passenger luggage?

Passengers must have peace of mind for their checked luggage, and even more importantly, the checked luggage MUST be secured entirely from the moment it is checked. If the TSA can't promise the sanctity of secure, checked luggage, then they must be fired. We need people who can be held accountable for the "sanitized" scanned checked luggages from end to end, otherwise the whole security of "checked" luggage is a farce.

StanSimmons

The only method of securing your luggage is to put it in a hard case with good hinges, and use a strong lock (not a TSA lock). This is perfectly legal to do in the US... as long as you are transporting a "firearm" in that luggage.

I use a flare gun as my "firearm" when I have checked luggage that I want to secure. As an added bonus, if/when your luggage gets lost you will be AMAZED at the attention you get when you let them know that they now have a lost firearm on their hands. (just don't tell them it is only a flare gun)

UALOneKPlus

Very good advice, it is SAD that we have to resort to that.

As a law abiding citizen, I would hope that our "security" people would abide by our laws too, especially laws regarding "theft".