Any Experience With TSA Damaged Bags?
 

My wife and I were to fly on AA 1454 from SJU to JFK on Sunday, Dec 18, and when we put one of our carryons into the TSA x-ray machine serving only AA passengers, the machine managed to turn the bag 90 degrees so that the bag was higher than the entry port, causing the bag to be crushed. Parts broke off the bag, and the x-ray machine became jammed, causing TSA to shut down Lane 3 to the AA gates. Somehow when the bag moved from the conveyor belt to the x-ray machine it hit the side of the x-ray machine, causing the bag to be stand erect.

The supervisor was called and he was able to remove our damaged bag from the xray machine, giving us directions to contact the TSA Claims Management Office by email. He said he would also fill out a report, and was apologetic.

I thought I had seen everything possible from TSA, but this was the worst, surpassing the time that I was locked in a JFKTSA examining room with 2 TSA agents for an hour, as the agents were unable to open the door from inside the examining room.

Does anyone have any experience how easy it is to handle a TSA claim? I did not notify AA, and wondered if I should have.

As this is TSA-specific and not treated to any particular airline, it will be sent packing to the proper forum. /Moderator

follow the tsa instructions.....contact aa....if necessary, after a while, contact your congress person.....

Notifying AA of something like this, that happened @ the TSA checkpoint & did not involved any AA staff/equipment, would be a waste of time-this is one time when they definitely are not at fault, from your report.

As far as filing a report & claim w/TSA-go for it, as long as you recognize you have just as much chance of winning the lottery as you will of getting TSA to take responsibility for & pay for damages they caused.

Think of the children...:rolleyes:

Did you get a copy of the report?

Did you take pictures?

I wouldn't hold my breath on this one although I hope for your sake to be pleasantly supplied.

I agree with the others that the likelihood that TSA will own up and pay up is slim to none. But it's worth a try.

Remember this next time a TSA screener insists that you put your shoes directly on the belt instead of in a bin.

You really will not have a problem receiving compensation for the damaged bag, as the STSO wrote in the report that it was TSA equipment that damaged your bag. It would be another story if you checked bag was somehow damaged and no one knew or fessed up to it. But in situations like this its fairly easy to get some sort of compensation; the odds are greatly on your side. Just fill out the paperwork, submit what you have to. Not sure how long it will take you.