BOB W

exerda,

Please quit putting your dog in the same class as Kip Hawley. If I were your dog I would be very offended!!!!

xtroverted

They've always asked me to take my electronics out of my bag. I'm used to taking out my laptop, and then on top of that, in one big ziplock bag, my cell phone, blackberry, ipod and psp -- with chargers.

I've never really had problems with them asking me to take it out.

iCorpRoadie

just went thru again (ATL) and no removal, wonder what gives??? be consistent!

BoiDav

I had a very unsettling experience today at the Reno (NV) airport. After passing through screening, as I was assembling my luggage, a TSA employee grasped my projector case (computer projector - which was in its specially fitted case) and said she needed to re-scan it because it had been packed in another container. I said, "It wasn't packed in anything - it went through exactly as it is." She took it anyhow and I decided not to make a scene. I repacked my computer in its carrying case, put on my shoes, etc. and then picked up the projector case which had returned through the scanner. I walked on toward the gate.

About 50 yards down the hallway it occured to me that the projector case felt pretty light. I stopped, unzipped the case, and it was empty. The projector (cost around $2,000) was missing. I got pretty excited, and returned to the TSA area immediately. I explained my situation to the (apparent) manager, who said let's go see. We walked toward the scanner and at that time the projector came down the chute in a small plastic bin. I gratefully picked up the projector, repacked it in the case, and started down the hall again. After I reached the appointed gate, with an hour to spare, I pondered the situation. What replayed in my mind was that the projector came down the chute just as we walked over to the scanner. This was many minutes after the TSA employee supposedly re-scanned my bag. It was clear to me that the carrying case and the projector could not have come through the scanner at the same time.

This sure looked like an attempt to steal my projector. So, with an hour left, I returned to the TSA booth and told the manager that I thought I should fill out an report, because this looked too much like it could have been an attempt to steal the projector. She pawed through various forms, but could not find the correct form for me to use. She then told me I could file the form on-line, but could only give me the general address of tsa.gov. She also said that she took offense, and that every TSA employee was subject to extreme screening and oversight.

Was this just an inept TSA employee, or is it possible that TSA scanners might separate travellers from objects like these?

OrlandoFlyer

Having read your report, I would say this is a case of attempted clear theft by the TSA. If I am missing something please post. A clear concise letter to the FSD of RNO would be appropriate, with a copy to the RNO Airport director and to the Airline Manager on whom you were flying.

This theft by the TSA personal has to be stopped!

jlr4travel

Yes, the lack of consistency between airports makes me crazy!! I have been flying a lot more recently. The things that one set of TSA agents could care less about, make agents at another airport freak out. It's hard to figure out how to pack. . . ok enough of my ranting.

I am concerned about having to remove all electronic items. I have a bag with many pockets/sections. And, I have my electronics dispersed throughout the bag for easy access depending on the likelihood that I'll need them while in transit/flight.

From USB/thum drives to battery-operated phone chargers, to wall chargers to car chargers to MP3 player to laptop to digital camera to cellphones x2. . . my watch . . . hmm and the list goes one. Will I really have to empty out and then re-pack every little pocket in my bag? This is craziness.

ok . . really . . . I am done with the ranting now.

Superguy

I'd be offended that she thought I was stupid enough to buy that.

JakiChan

You should have contacted an LEO first and explained that the TSA agent had just stolen a $2000 item. I think that's a felony.

ND Sol

BoiDav, welcome to FlyerTalk.

I would make an immediate request also to review the videotapes of the incident to get a better idea if this was an attempted theft.

SaigonCyclo

I flew through LAX, RNO, SLC, SAN and PHX over the last 3 weeks and was never asked to place my Ipod or Mobile Phone in the bin. The only time I heard the TSA say anything was in PHX when they were asking people to remove their video cameras from their cases.

FliesWay2Much

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98; PalmSource/Palm-D052; Blazer/4.5) 16;320x320)

Theft issue aside for a moment, I had a conversation with an associate - the unnamed "well-placed source" - who told me that the latest policy change came about because the TSA leadership (yes - Kippie) was fed up with all the embarrassing news coverage of screeners missing "test bombs" and failing other simple tests. So, they came up with what essentially is a secondary bag search right off the bat to minimize future embarrassment.

Of course, as was just posted, Kippie's response resulted in a much higher probability of screener checkpoint theft attempts.

doober

It would appear that Kip doesn't quite understand that the more he gives screeners to look for: toothpaste, electronics, heads covered by hats, the more likely they are to miss something significant.

LessO2

Wasn't it first positioned as coming as a suggestion from a TSA screener?

If what you described is true, it comes over more like dumbing down the entire process.

I feel safer.

dcstudent

I'm a little late to this party...but on my around the World trip ("Last Hurrah" in the Trip Reports section) I was made to remove all of my electronics from my carry-ons at LAX (twice, 8/8(TBIT) and 8/24(T4)) but not at DCA, MIA, or ORD.

It was quite a pain.

wiredboy10003

I'm traveling a lot lately after mostly working in the city for a while and this new requirement has me baffled. I carry a roller bag with three camera bodies, six lenses, and assorted chargers, cords, and stuff. On two of the last four screenings the case has passed through the machine with no one saying anything. Two times they've opened the case, swabbed the equipment and let me continue. In Colorado Springs yesterday, the screener nicely mentioned the new rules. First, they don't mention camera equipment on the signs. Second, do they really think I'm going to take out all my toys and put them in a gray tub? Let's see how much of that stuff makes it to the other end. And.... the time required to put it all back together at the other end? Hmmm. I think I'll keep putting the suitcase through and play the odds on being stopped. Checking the stuff really isn't an option.