TSA Incompetence Recourse
Jul 27, 2011, 5:16 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: San Antonio, Texas, USA
Programs: AA, Delta, Singapore Airlines
Posts: 701
TSA Incompetence Recourse
If a TSA agent damages something in my carry-on in their search for "incongruities", what sort of recourse do I have? For either replacing the entire item or being monetarily compensated?
Is there a money limit? Say, 25 cents for a toothbrush that they dropped on the floor and contaminated?
Is there a money limit? Say, 25 cents for a toothbrush that they dropped on the floor and contaminated?
Jul 27, 2011, 7:04 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,702
If a TSA agent damages something in my carry-on in their search for "incongruities", what sort of recourse do I have? For either replacing the entire item or being monetarily compensated?
Is there a money limit? Say, 25 cents for a toothbrush that they dropped on the floor and contaminated?
Is there a money limit? Say, 25 cents for a toothbrush that they dropped on the floor and contaminated?
Jul 27, 2011, 7:28 am
#3
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 3,728
If a TSA agent damages something in my carry-on in their search for "incongruities", what sort of recourse do I have? For either replacing the entire item or being monetarily compensated?
Is there a money limit? Say, 25 cents for a toothbrush that they dropped on the floor and contaminated?
Is there a money limit? Say, 25 cents for a toothbrush that they dropped on the floor and contaminated?
Jul 27, 2011, 7:35 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,702
No, not really. TSA does pay out claims for damaged property, all from their own internal investigations. Some people file false claims, some file valid claims. All should be investigated.
Jul 27, 2011, 9:49 am
#5
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 302
If the screener drops my camera then I'll submit a claim and include a copy of the bill (or other proof of value.) If they drop my toothbrush then I'll just buy a new once since it was overdue anyway.
Jul 27, 2011, 9:56 am
#6
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Incorrect. TSA has paid thousands of valid claims. It takes forever for the claim to be processed but something damaged at a checkpoint is pretty clearcut. What is more of a problem is when a claim is filed regarding something in checked baggage where the cause of the damage (TSA, airline, customer) may not be so evident.
If the screener drops my camera then I'll submit a claim and include a copy of the bill (or other proof of value.) If they drop my toothbrush then I'll just buy a new once since it was overdue anyway.
If the screener drops my camera then I'll submit a claim and include a copy of the bill (or other proof of value.) If they drop my toothbrush then I'll just buy a new once since it was overdue anyway.
Have you submitted a claim? Were you paid? Or are you just posting random speculation based on what the website alleges might happen? If so, did you submit it at the time of the incident? I understand that at some checkpoints, the claim form has to be requested from the supervisor and you must also supply all details to the supervisor at that time or the claim will automatically be denied. If you do not have the time to do this before your flight, then your claim will be denied.
How long do you keep receipts? What do you do if the camera was a gift?
Ever wonder how one begins to research a 6-month old claim? or why one waits 6 months to pretend to look at a claim? There shouldn't be very many claims, right, because everyone knows TSOs are honest and professional and well-trained and besides, have you ever seen a TSO damage anything at a checkpoint? I have only witnessed it once, so it probably really never happens, it's all just lying pax trying to get innocent hard-working TSOs in trouble.
Jul 27, 2011, 10:43 am
#7
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 302
Could you provide a cite for you information about the number of claims TSA has paid? The TSA website is not acceptable, because as screeners and supervisors tell us all the time, it is not kept up-to-date.
Last I heard, about 37% of claims were paid. Given that more than 6000 claims are filed a year, then it is accurate to say that thousands of claims are paid.
Have you submitted a claim? Were you paid? Or are you just posting random speculation based on what the website alleges might happen? If so, did you submit it at the time of the incident? I understand that at some checkpoints, the claim form has to be requested from the supervisor and you must also supply all details to the supervisor at that time or the claim will automatically be denied. If you do not have the time to do this before your flight, then your claim will be denied.
Nope, I haven't had a reason to file a claim, but I know people who have filed claims and eventually got paid
How long do you keep receipts? What do you do if the camera was a gift?
Me? I keep receipts for electronics and other valuables for as long as I own the item. I recently found the receipt for my first Pentium computer - a Gateway with 1 meg of memory and a 100 meg hard drive that I bought in 1994 for $4000 - and another $2000 for a Sony 22" CRT monitor.
Gifts are simple - just go to a websiteand find the price. Amazon or the manufacturer's website has that info.
Ever wonder how one begins to research a 6-month old claim? or why one waits 6 months to pretend to look at a claim? There shouldn't be very many claims, right, because everyone knows TSOs are honest and professional and well-trained and besides, have you ever seen a TSO damage anything at a checkpoint? I have only witnessed it once, so it probably really never happens, it's all just lying pax trying to get innocent hard-working TSOs in trouble.
Last I heard, about 37% of claims were paid. Given that more than 6000 claims are filed a year, then it is accurate to say that thousands of claims are paid.
Have you submitted a claim? Were you paid? Or are you just posting random speculation based on what the website alleges might happen? If so, did you submit it at the time of the incident? I understand that at some checkpoints, the claim form has to be requested from the supervisor and you must also supply all details to the supervisor at that time or the claim will automatically be denied. If you do not have the time to do this before your flight, then your claim will be denied.
Nope, I haven't had a reason to file a claim, but I know people who have filed claims and eventually got paid
How long do you keep receipts? What do you do if the camera was a gift?
Me? I keep receipts for electronics and other valuables for as long as I own the item. I recently found the receipt for my first Pentium computer - a Gateway with 1 meg of memory and a 100 meg hard drive that I bought in 1994 for $4000 - and another $2000 for a Sony 22" CRT monitor.
Gifts are simple - just go to a websiteand find the price. Amazon or the manufacturer's website has that info.
Ever wonder how one begins to research a 6-month old claim? or why one waits 6 months to pretend to look at a claim? There shouldn't be very many claims, right, because everyone knows TSOs are honest and professional and well-trained and besides, have you ever seen a TSO damage anything at a checkpoint? I have only witnessed it once, so it probably really never happens, it's all just lying pax trying to get innocent hard-working TSOs in trouble.
The point of my post (and you know that perfectly well) is that claims do get paid, so if you have a problem you should file a claim.
Jul 27, 2011, 11:08 am
#8
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Sorry, I asked for a cite (specific link) for claims paid.
You don't indicate the source for your data. You also don't indicate whether it refers to checkpoint damage or checked bag damage. And you don't indicate what year your figures cover.
TSA doesn't accept an Amazon screenprint as proof of price paid. This is why I asked about receipts and whether you had filed a claim. They can (and at least sometimes do) insist on receipts. If it is a gift, too bad, not their problem. They also suggest photos to back up ownership, but then point out that the photo doesn't prove anything (item could belong to someone else).
Christopher Elliott (I'm not a huge fan, but I have no reason to disbelieve what he posted) got some numbers from TSA, but no breakdown between checkpoint and baggage area.
The point of my post was to find out if you actually had first-hand experience filing a claim. You do not. I do.
I understand how the process is supposed to work.
TSO baggage screeners are also 'supposed' to leave flyers in bags they rummaged through; TSO baggage screeners are supposed to unlock and relock TSA locks. These things regularly do not happen. (FYI, I have actually seen TSOs explain why some of this happens - keys for the locks are misplaced or the supervisor has them and no one knows where the supervisor is, so pax locks get cut, they've run out of flyers. Besides, who ever thought a TSA thief would be conscientious about putting a flyer in a bag he's just stolen from?
I am not disputing that TSA makes some payouts. I am saying that the process takes much longer than it should, it is made deliberately difficult, it is not transparent.
Nothing you posted, but I'd like someone to explain why it takes 6 months to track down a theft. Are the tapes still around? Are claims routinely denied because the tapes aren't available and the claim wasn't researched in a timely manner? Are claims below a certain threshhold just ignored for six months and then denied? (Don't bother to say that could never happen, it absolutely does happen with some insurance companies, and I don't expect greater things out of TSA than out of an insurance company).
The claims should all be handled by an independent agency. TSA has everything to gain by denying the claims.
You don't indicate the source for your data. You also don't indicate whether it refers to checkpoint damage or checked bag damage. And you don't indicate what year your figures cover.
TSA doesn't accept an Amazon screenprint as proof of price paid. This is why I asked about receipts and whether you had filed a claim. They can (and at least sometimes do) insist on receipts. If it is a gift, too bad, not their problem. They also suggest photos to back up ownership, but then point out that the photo doesn't prove anything (item could belong to someone else).
Christopher Elliott (I'm not a huge fan, but I have no reason to disbelieve what he posted) got some numbers from TSA, but no breakdown between checkpoint and baggage area.
The point of my post was to find out if you actually had first-hand experience filing a claim. You do not. I do.
I understand how the process is supposed to work.
TSO baggage screeners are also 'supposed' to leave flyers in bags they rummaged through; TSO baggage screeners are supposed to unlock and relock TSA locks. These things regularly do not happen. (FYI, I have actually seen TSOs explain why some of this happens - keys for the locks are misplaced or the supervisor has them and no one knows where the supervisor is, so pax locks get cut, they've run out of flyers. Besides, who ever thought a TSA thief would be conscientious about putting a flyer in a bag he's just stolen from?
I am not disputing that TSA makes some payouts. I am saying that the process takes much longer than it should, it is made deliberately difficult, it is not transparent.
Nothing you posted, but I'd like someone to explain why it takes 6 months to track down a theft. Are the tapes still around? Are claims routinely denied because the tapes aren't available and the claim wasn't researched in a timely manner? Are claims below a certain threshhold just ignored for six months and then denied? (Don't bother to say that could never happen, it absolutely does happen with some insurance companies, and I don't expect greater things out of TSA than out of an insurance company).
The claims should all be handled by an independent agency. TSA has everything to gain by denying the claims.