Will TSA pay for broken items
 

My carryon bag was selected for ETD testing at DFW last week. The screener opened it, removed some items, wanded them and the bag, and then placed them back into the bag. Unfortunately, the screener repacked my bag such that the metal prong on a power cord was pointing right into the screen of my Treo 600. This was only in my bag to go through the WTMD - as the sign says to do. When I removed my phone after boarding the airplane, I noticed that the screen had cracked, and the half under the crack was permanently blue and unreadable. I had to purchase a new Treo 650 (the 600 isn't sold anymore) to the tune of $548. My question is not whether the TSA is liable - of course they are - it is whether they will own up to it when I submit my claim forms. Does anyone have experience with this?

No Sir/Ma'am.

They are not liable as you have the option to re-pack it yourself, but refused.

You should have stopped the repacking by the Officer and done it yourself.

Sorry, no refund in your future.

Where in his post did he say he 'refused' to re-pack the bag?

File the claim -- what do you have to lose? The fact is that your gadget was OK when you entered the checkpoint and damaged when you left it. And, it's all on videotape somewhere, although the TSA will refuse to release it, if they even admit it still exists.

If this option was available, I was unaware of it. I would have assumed that the TSA would make an effort to repack things mostly as they were.

Officers wear metal badges.

I would say file the claim, but set your expectations for repayment in the cellar.

The problem is, there is no tangible proof that they broke it. There are too many arguments (you could have dropped the bag, it could have happened prior to screening) that go against you. There is no way videotape could have caught this, either.

Looks like no soup for you.....

Sadly, the post above exemplifies the difficulties that some people (at least me) have with the entire agency.

Stopped the repacking? Some screeners allow pax to re-pack their stuff, but I've had screeners refuse. It's not their stuff, and too often, they act like they couldn't care less if their negligence causes damage. After all, it's not like they'll be liable if they break it.

It's one thing to screen stuff looking for non-existent bombs and weapons. it's quite another to treat other people's stuff so carelessly.

Don't like it? Then you don't fly! Great attitude.

The fact of the matter stands; if you did not like the way he/she was repacking, you could have said STOP I WILL DO IT. You did not. You could have complained right then and there, you did not.

There are many variables.


Metal shield or not, its the oath that counts. Granted there are some bad apples, but thats with EVERY job in the entire world.

Thanks.

Most people - myself included - are not aware of that option since there is signage near the inspection tables that specifically tell you NOT to touch your items when they are on the table.

Obviously, I did not notice the phone was broken until I got on the plane and saw how it had been packed, or else I would have complained right then and there. A phone is not a particularly fragile device - it takes some effort to break it. If it were an egg I would understand. When it's a phone - which is designed to stand up to some daily abuse - there was obviously not enough care being taken.

By the way, the TSA can talk all they like about how I could have repacked it myself, but the fact of the matter is, as FWAAA said, that whatever the TSA person says is what you're going to have to do, or else you don't fly. I don't have the time, energy, or patience to argue with them 4 times a week, so I dutifully remove my shoes, place all metal objects in my carry on, and remove my laptop from its bag. Regardless of what I COULD have been allowed to do myself, the TSA did it, and the TSA broke it, so the TSA should pay for it. Tell me why you think that's not correct?

Gotta love that "professionalism" that Comrades Daschle and Gephardt promised us!

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

File the claim! You have nothing to lose. There was a case where TSA paid for some expensive suits that got caught in a zipper at the CP. The owner didnt know it till he got to the destination and unpacked. Just dont expect the response to be timely.

In the private industry, the bad apples tend to get fired quickly in a professional setting. This doesn't seem to work in the government, especially with the TSA.

SDF_Traveler

What does it say when there's more accountability with an employee at say a Dairy Queen or a gas station than someone who is supposed to secure the skies?

File the claim. I have no idea how it will turn out for you. But, that being said, you are supposed to be asked by the screener at the end of the search if you would like to repack your bag yourself. Always. For exactly this reason. There is NO reason to not let you pack your bag after its cleared. If they refuse ask for a supervisor, if they say no, ask for a screening manager. Sorry about what happened.

YOur so right. It seems with the TSA, of which I am a part, that the competent screeners that question things that are wrong, get fired. And no one will ever back them up. I've seen it happen alot, to alot of great screeners. If you want to keep your job, don't EVER question anything. :(

You continue to contradict yourself. Your screen name even states, TSASCRNR, which I assume means TSA Screener.

Metal shield or not.....hhmmm.

You have no arrest authority. You can not serve search or arrest warrants. You carry no weapon. You have no investigative authority. These attributes are those of LEOs, fed or civi. Although some are attributes are those of other professions, such as carrying a weapon, ie; security OFFICERS.

The word within your title does not qualifiy you or make you an LEO. If that were the case, CEO's CFO's, security officers, commissioned and non-commisioned personel officers in the armed forces, etc. would all be cops. But they are not.

Your position as a TSA screener has been reclassified to that of 1802, Compliance Inspection and Support. Here is a link....... http://usgovinfo.about.com/blocodes.htm

Here is another imformative link that provides a detailed explanation of your position, but not your duties......... http://www.opm.gov/CLASSAPP/fedclass/gs1802.pdf#search='1802%20compliance%20inspection% 20and%20support%20definition'

Please note the Exclusion section of the document, especially item #1.

LEO's are classified in several positions, 1801, 0083 (Police Officers), 1811 (Criminal Investigators), 0025 (LE Park Ranger), and there may be others. 1802 is not one. I repeat, it does not make you a LEO. No shape, no form. Metal shield or cloth. Officer or screener in the title. If it quacks......

We have had this discussion in the past although you continue to mislead your position as that of being a Law Enforcement Officer or an officer that enforces the law.

What must be said or done that would deter you from making these innuendos?

O boy, you again.

Who changed the title of the job? Me, or TSA? OK.

Who swore us in? Me, or TSA? OK.

Stop coming here and slamming us, many of us enjoy our job and want to help(which is what I meant by metal shield or not). I am just stating reality.

To original poster:
More than likely YOU WILL BE DENIED. But as eyecue said, file it anyway and see what happens.

It is all hearsay unless there was a witness, or you reported it on the spot as broken to a higher authority.

I filed pot hole claims before because I hit it, and it damaged my rim/tie rod...etc. I had TOUGH LUCK said to me.

Goodluck to you.

Difference: YOU were driving the car, and should have been watching where you were going. Tough luck indeed. I, however, am not the one who damaged my property. Your egomaniacal, jack-booted, self-important coworkers are the ones who caused damage, and for that, they have no oversight and no accountability. That, TSASCRNR, is the damn shame here.

Ok, they will tell you, YOU HAD THE OPTION.

In conclusion, once again; Goodluck.

This is sad to hear. This type of climate empowers bullies, incompetence and insensitivity. I have no doubts that this is a reality for many of the locales that is served by the TSA and i can only hope that oversight is on the horizon so that this culture of superiority and arbitrary retailiation against passengers who asserts their rights under the law will go away.

All government employees needs to be empowered to improve their agencies charter and their image in the public eye. In the case of TSA employees that come up with ideas to make the sky safer and the interaction with the travelling public smoother should be rewarded not fired. I guess there is a lot of "i know best" attitude and not much open discussion and critical thinking.

The TSA pays for a lot of things that don't work, but it's very hard to get them to pay for things that they break.

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Post of the Week!

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Its not so much an "I know best" attitude as it is a "your not allowed to speak to me" attitude. We're not allowed to see the FSD about anything. Its near impossible to get near him. And the DFSD and AFSD's ARE the problem so there is no point in talking to them. They make his appointments, answer his calls, etc. He only knows what they want him to know. :(

So they are sheltered. Hmmm, that reminds me of some other leaders who made a name for themselves throughout history... None of them are viewed as particularly great leaders... :)

I have been flat out told "No, I must repack it" from a screener after getting
my bag completely unpacked. I had a brown paper bag with my dinner in it (because you know that flights don't feed you any more) and I said there was food in it and the food bag was pack ON THE BOTTOM of the bag, putting my books on top of it. Needless to say the food was ruined. I didn't cop an attitude before to deserve such behavior except that I was miffed about the extra screening of my bag because I didn't have a whole lot of time to get down the concourse to my flight (not due to bad timing on my part - flight got cancelled and was reassigned to new flight with not much time to get myself through security).

Most of my experiences with the TSA have been okay, but I've had a few encounters that had made me want to go balastic.

This was in Nov 04, in BWI.

My next experience with TSA will be with a infant, those screeners better be careful, my son has deadly aim with his spitup. :p

Right then and there, you should have asked to a speak with a supervisor - once the bag has been cleared, you're allowed to do what you wish with it. I don't even repack it; I'm just used to passengers usually preferring to repack the bag themselves.

The point is, that people don't know that they have this option. The TSA certainly doesn't advertise this. Most people when told by an 'officer' that they cannot repack their own bag don't question it for fear of being told "you're not flying today".

The policy isn't consistent and many screeners make up the rules as they go. Oh, right 'a few bad apples'... Been hearing that a lot lately.

Maples, welcome to FlyerTalk! Hope that you will enjoy posting and discussing matters with all of us.

Sorry to hear about dinner.

The only person I have referenced is YOU. Not slamming anyone, just providing factual information to your fictious claims of being an LEO.

[QUOTE=TSASCRNR]



I filed pot hole claims before because I hit it, and it damaged my rim/tie rod...etc. I had TOUGH LUCK said to me.

QUOTE]

I didn't realize that TSA tooks claims on damage done by potholes. ;)

Are you a pothole, Focker? :p

Hey,

Do not insult me.

I am POST certified and am what I am.

Let it rest pal.

So sad guys like you are within the agency.

So you are POST certified, but never became an LEO?

LOL, I am one, just not with TSA. Along with many other co-workers of mine who are also POST certified.

Why the LOL? So who are you an LEO with?

ND Sol, he is not a LEO. The only reason that he even knows the term POST is because I busted him on it.

His story is that he is a full time LEO and a part time TSA employee. Why work for fifteen dollars an hour when you can pick up hire backs for thirty plus? I thought so.

He continues to jump in other peoples faces about how he is an "officer" and how he is one phone call away from being a FAM. He is nothing, a nobody with limited or no experience in the law enforcement/military spectrum.

In other words...........a POSER!

^ I have to say that this is ridiculous and I have never had the option of repacking my bag. I always have to stand and watch and am told never to touch the bag or anything in it while on the table.

If this is indeed the SOP to allow the pax to repack then we have a severe case of power tripping going on as I was never given that option.

--DD73

Ok, I shall not even attempt to argue with you.

It is a moot point to continue, are you THAT jealous I have military, have college and am in L/E, AND work with TSA?

Have a nice day now, 007.

^