Baytzim

The TSA are all pigs.

A friend writes:

Beating a dead horse? I fly with a tool chest. I wanted to comply with TSA rules and equiped that tool chest with TSA approved locks. I've had those locks cut off. How do I know that they were cut off? The locks were dumped into the tool chest. I've been told to return those locks for credit. If you were a store owner and the same person came in week after week for new locks then at what point would you begin asking questions of that person?

I give TSA a secured item with locks. I expect them to search that item and to properly resecure that item so as to dissuade baggage theives. When TSA fails to properly resecure that luggage who is responsible for any losses I may incure? Currently TSA points at the airlines and the airlines points at TSA. Looks like no one is willing to take responsibility for neglectful behavior that costs a flying customer his/her belongings.

I witnessed my tool chest being checked and resecured at Newark Intl airport. When I arrived at MPLS both locks were cut off, placed inside the tool chest, and the luggage tag had two TSA inspection stickers on it. That resulted in several pointless phone calls to TSA operatives at Newark since this problem occurs on a fairly regular basis.

The lighter duty TSA locks don't provide much security and have snapped off during luggage handling. I've even talked to the president of the organization that spec'd the locks. To his credit he told me that the lighter duty locks don't take abuse very well. FYI I took one of the damaged locks apart with a pair of linesman's electrical pliers. That isn't good.

I've complained before and will complain again. What do I have to do to get TSA to properly resecure my luggage after a luggage inspection? Please don't tell me to stand by while the luggage is being inspected. Several airports do the luggage inspection inside a passenger denied secure area and as such it isn't feasible.

Tell me what I must do to travel with secured luggage. Be consistant, and you most likely won't hear from me again.

I've told a TSA agent "I don't trust you and want to speak with your supervisor." The supervisor came over and the TSA agent said "he just called me a thief." I told his supervisor what I said in the first place and there is quite a difference between not trusting a total stranger and calling someone a thief. To his credit the supervisor cleared up this miscommunication.