Here's could claim that anyway. It's been in DL possession the whole time. Really and truly the only thing that can't be done right now is prove that the passenger put the item there. However regardless of if they scan it now they still can't. The bag has gone through too many steps and been away too long. Basically there's nothing that could happen to a passenger now regardless of if it's scanned and something is found. Also scanning bags for those terminating does nothing and could be argued as a 4th amendment violation as it serves no security purpose at this point. Those continuing on should of course have bags scanned, but even if something comes up, at this point it can't be proved beyond doubt the passenger placed it on the bag.

Good point. The last argument I can think of is the arrival state could complain/sue the TSA for failing to provide proper transportation security for the flight arriving into the state. TSA screening bags before giving to pax on arrival helps cover themselves from that complaint.

"Those Washington hippies are bringing the devil's lettuce into our great state of Texas. The TSA would've found it if they had done their jerbs."

I am moving this threads over to the Practical Travel Safety and Security Issues forum which is the appropriate home for it.

RSSrsvp - Moderator

Since this discussion is not about something that passengers need to know if they were traveling today, this topic is a better fit for the Checkpoints and Borders Policy Debate forum.

Cheers,

TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator

Would you consider that what the Red Coat told you was not actually the truth? I would more likely suspect an covert illegal law enforcement type search by TSA for something that was not identified correctly at the point of origin.

You need to keep in mind that there may have been information brought to TSA's attention about potential issues with a passenger that required a law enforcement screening of the bags. Don't always believe the reason that is given when it comes to issues like the one described.

Yep -- I was thinking the same thing. If I had to speculate, the were looking for drugs.

Given that the scanning is done in the lobby at BDL and customers have to bring their checked bags directly to the screening machines where the TSA agents scan them (because BDL=not helpful), there is zero possibility that those bags weren't initially screened. Something had to have occurred or there was some sort of tip that something (like drugs) may have been introduced after the screening or that TSA was concerned they missed.

TSA looking for drugs would not constitute a legal Administrative Search. For law enforcement to conduct that search would require a Search Warrant.

All they would have to do is claim they "saw something" on the scanner and were required to check it out visually. When they open the bag looking for the "something", they just "accidentally" come across the drugs in the course of an "administrative inspection."

Thank you mods for relocating as appropriate!

This is a good point, which I had not considered. I do think that the red coat was just telling us what she herself had been told - she seemed as confused as all the passengers and genuinely apologetic for the delay, willing to help, etc. I actually wanted to give her a DL JWD certificate but didn't see her again after collecting my bag.

Yeah, the BDL screening has always seemed ridiculous to me, especially because there is a perfectly functional belt behind the check in counters. But...this was also part of the BDL TSA incompetence I referenced in my OP. After getting my bag tagged by DL, I went to the TSA drop area where all four TSA agents were just standing around talking. I offered them my bag, and they told me to just leave it on the mat in front of the scanner (said mat being basically in the middle of the walkway in front of the ticket counters). I plopped it there next to another bag and started to walk away, then realized the TSA guys had no intent of actually doing anything with it. So I just kind of hung out across the way for a good 2-3 minutes watching my bag and others sit ignored and unattended.

Eventually one of the TSA guys started collecting the bags and dragging them into the screening area, but at that point I was done watching them so I never saw if they actually sent the bags through the machine. I wouldn't put it past them to have just slung the bags straight down to sortation because they couldn't be bothered to start up the scanner.

At point of origin that argument might pass but at destination not so much.

Walking the politically-correct straight & narrow, all I will say is that perhaps this might be a "corporate work ethic" example?

I have no idea what this is supposed to be implying, but if you're trying to make a potential OMNI-destined reference, I'm not certain it would correctly apply to the group of agents I was describing.

<deleted> The adjective for TSA baggage screeners that I was talking around was "lazy."