CATSA baggage inspection
 

First time I have ever encountered this - arrived home from YYT and when opening checked bag there was a
" Notification of Checked Baggage Inspection" telling me that CATSA had " conducted a search, no item removed".

While I have experienced this in the U.S. with TSA ( although I thought I always had the right to be present during the search),
this is the first time I have ever encountered this with CATSA. Do we not have a right to be present if and when
they are opening our luggage? I don't know if this was a random inspection, or if they were checking out something
that showed on the screen. In all other countries, if something showing on the screen requires a physical inspection,
I have always been present.

As this is a Canada topic rather than an Air Canada or Aeroplan topic it's been moved to the Canada FT forum for further discussion.

tcook052
Air Canada forum mdoerator

No.

Most searches are random.

As above, it's normal.

I know that certain items of mine will turn up on x-ray requiring an additional visual check. It is expected as the latch showed it was opened with the key and poorly repacked.
20 flights out of YYZ annually I have never received a note like the American TSA's.

I would have thought you would have figured out by now to buy a TSA approved lock jc94. No need to have them cut and throw away your lock every time. If it is a TSA approved lock, they have a key to open it and will put it back on after inspection.



The little 6 sided, red and white symbol indicates a TSA approved lock.

[SARCASM ON]
They do? That's news to me.

Huh, well that's news to me jc94. The whole point of the approved locks is so that they can be removed without cutting them and put back on. So my question then would be, why are they cutting them off? Does anyone have an answer to that question?

I asked the same question to one staff member in Pearson.
He told me that yes it happens often, and main reason is because many of his coworkers are just lazy. His advice was - never lock those approved locks when on the plane.... Use them for when in hotel etc.

Not just YYZ.
TSA and CATSA staff can get away with it as the number of people complaining is low. There is no TSA at baggage claim. The airline will say it is a TSA CATSA issue so they are clear. There is also no way of proving beyond absolute doubt that you had a lock on there and it was cut off.
These staffs are too lazy to walk over to get the TSA master key. I have seen TSA agent in uniform at EWR during their break at the food court playing around with their cutter so they are carrying them just for the fun of irritating travellers.

Maybe they are offered $X per lock that they destroy and a replacement needs to be purchase?

Those guys are anonymous so no responsibility. There is one security guy in Pearson (or maybe more than one) who enjoys opening the bottles of shampoo and other cosmetics, trying them and then not closing properly so the stuff is leaking all over. He also likes to wipe his hands with clothes from the suitcase. What a great person.