Item Stolen From Gate-Checked Bag on United
Aug 7, 2012, 11:33 pm
#1
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Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Los Angeles
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Item Stolen From Gate-Checked Bag on United
Sorry to gripe, but after a long delay for a gate checked bag (took them 9 hours to get me the bag) I found that United employes had unlocked the TSA lock and stole a moderately expensive (and fairly bulky item) from my bag. Until now I thought the lack of integrity was only at the TOP (and yes, even on this trip I ran into many many employees who do have integrity and go out of their way to compensate for the lack of integrity at the top), but there is at least one employee (I guess not really a surprise) in baggage handling that is a criminal.
Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; Aug 8, 2012 at 4:02 am Reason: vague thread title
Aug 8, 2012, 12:35 am
#4
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It's always theoretically possible it was TSA but unlikely in this instance. For a gate checked bag, the security was done when the OP was present at the checkpoint, and there is no reason for TSA to even be around when bags are off-loaded.
Aug 8, 2012, 1:24 am
#5
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Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Los Angeles
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As one poster mentioned, I doubt it was the ramp personnel in SEA as there would be no opportunity. The plan goes from the jet bridge straight to the cargo area. I doubt it is TSA since I was present when my carry-on was screened by them, and the particular item in question was individually inspected by them (did the swab test) and then placed by me back in my carry-on, after security.
My suspicion is that it was stolen at SFO where it needed to change planes (and where it ended up delayed as well), and from other postings on the web, it would not surprise me if there is an ongoing criminal enterprise operating out of United's baggage operations there.
But it might have happened at LAX as well.
My suspicion is that it was stolen at SFO where it needed to change planes (and where it ended up delayed as well), and from other postings on the web, it would not surprise me if there is an ongoing criminal enterprise operating out of United's baggage operations there.
But it might have happened at LAX as well.
Aug 8, 2012, 7:18 am
#7
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Before accussing UA or TSA is it at all possible that the driver that was delivering the bag was the person who went thru it, who wouldnt be a UA or TSA employee!
Aug 8, 2012, 7:22 am
#8
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Wow all the UA and TSA bashers are out today. I took this to mean the OP didnt wait around at their final destination till the bag finally showed up but it was delivered by UAs farmed out delivery service.
Before accussing UA or TSA is it at all possible that the driver that was delivering the bag was the person who went thru it, who wouldnt be a UA or TSA employee!
Before accussing UA or TSA is it at all possible that the driver that was delivering the bag was the person who went thru it, who wouldnt be a UA or TSA employee!
Aug 8, 2012, 7:24 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,967
Wow all the UA and TSA bashers are out today. I took this to mean the OP didnt wait around at their final destination till the bag finally showed up but it was delivered by UAs farmed out delivery service.
Before accussing UA or TSA is it at all possible that the driver that was delivering the bag was the person who went thru it, who wouldnt be a UA or TSA employee!
Before accussing UA or TSA is it at all possible that the driver that was delivering the bag was the person who went thru it, who wouldnt be a UA or TSA employee!
Numerous hands were on the bag, in a variety of locations. Nobody knows at this point who actually removed the item, and for whom they work.
Aug 8, 2012, 7:29 am
#10
Join Date: Jul 2005
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Sorry to gripe, but after a long delay for a gate checked bag (took them 9 hours to get me the bag) I found that United employes had unlocked the TSA lock and stole a moderately expensive (and fairly bulky item) from my bag. Until now I thought the lack of integrity was only at the TOP (and yes, even on this trip I ran into many many employees who do have integrity and go out of their way to compensate for the lack of integrity at the top), but there is at least one employee (I guess not really a surprise) in baggage handling that is a criminal.
USC,
just so im clear here, you had to gate check your bag and they used the white tag vs the green tag correct? in sfo the bag did not make the connection correct? if it didnt make the connection it should have gone to the holding area for your destination and the tsa should not have had any reason to gain access to it, only other idea i can come up with is that the tag came off the bag enroute and a ual person had to gain access to it to identify the owner as long as you had no id on the outside of the bag, maybe the item fell out i dont know but my bets are on the ground people that have no integrity,morals or what ever you want to call it...
Aug 8, 2012, 7:43 am
#11
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 5,814
LAX has an issue though that's been reported before:
http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2..._nation_fo.php
Like many mentioned before, we can't say it was a UA employee for sure but in the future, try FedEX/UPS or some other carrier when shipping valuables if you can.
http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2..._nation_fo.php
Like many mentioned before, we can't say it was a UA employee for sure but in the future, try FedEX/UPS or some other carrier when shipping valuables if you can.
Aug 8, 2012, 7:53 am
#12
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 14
Please don't be so quick to judge. I'm not saying it was NOT a UA ramp employee but you don't know for sure who it was. What I do know, we don't have the time nor interest in going through your things. We are far to busy to worry about that and jeopardize our employement. I will say this, I am amazed at what some people do. Just the other day, I loaded a carryon, unzipped, with an Ipad showing. Where has common sense gone?
Aug 8, 2012, 8:05 am
#13
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: IAD
Programs: United, AA, Hilton
Posts: 340
There are bad apples everywhere in every major corporation who steal, lie, embezzle etc. UA, AA, Delta, all air carriers are not immune to it. I feel bad for the OP that it happened to them. I would be mad as hell if it happened to me, but I would agree that 99% of UA bag handlers are upstanding employees.
While I will be the first saying this merger went horribly, this could have happened with any airline.
While I will be the first saying this merger went horribly, this could have happened with any airline.
Aug 8, 2012, 8:08 am
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: UA 1P MM
Posts: 112
USC,
just so im clear here, you had to gate check your bag and they used the white tag vs the green tag correct? in sfo the bag did not make the connection correct? if it didnt make the connection it should have gone to the holding area for your destination and the tsa should not have had any reason to gain access to it, only other idea i can come up with is that the tag came off the bag enroute and a ual person had to gain access to it to identify the owner as long as you had no id on the outside of the bag, maybe the item fell out i dont know but my bets are on the ground people that have no integrity,morals or what ever you want to call it...
just so im clear here, you had to gate check your bag and they used the white tag vs the green tag correct? in sfo the bag did not make the connection correct? if it didnt make the connection it should have gone to the holding area for your destination and the tsa should not have had any reason to gain access to it, only other idea i can come up with is that the tag came off the bag enroute and a ual person had to gain access to it to identify the owner as long as you had no id on the outside of the bag, maybe the item fell out i dont know but my bets are on the ground people that have no integrity,morals or what ever you want to call it...
