Posted on 12/17/2004 9:18:58 AM PST by yatros from flatwater
The travel season is here, but, do you feel safe sending your luggage through the airport? The surveillance video is disturbing. A TSA worker at JFK airport in New York, allegedly rifling through a bag planted by police, removing jewels and money. This suspect was charged with larceny and possession of stolen property. Theft has been a problem for as long as travelers have been checking their bags, but now, the TSA is keeping track. Since taking control of baggage screening nearly two years ago, it's received more than 28,000 complaints of damaged, lost or stolen items. The total value: nearly $36 million. But no one knows how many of those are false claims. Air traveler Randy Rutland says, "Everything was in the luggage when we left from here." Rutland, of Louisiana, claims it happened to him while flying out of New Orleans. He says his luggage was checked, then secured with blue tags to indicate they'd been hand searched by the TSA, but when he got his bags, a brand new digital camera and his daughter's compact discs were missing. "I think somebody went through our bags, saw a nice camera and some cd's and they took 'em," Rutland says. The value: $1600. So far, the TSA has settled some 19,000 claims totaling $2.5 million, including $152,000 worth of claims at LAX, $111,000 dollars at JFK, followed by Seattle, Las Vegas and Oakland. The TSA is now adding surveillance cameras in baggage handling and secure areas to watch for theft. TSA Administrator, Admiral David Stone, says, "In issues of theft, there's a zero-tolerance and we need to make sure that we route that out of our organization because it gets to the very core of who we are and that trust and confidence bond with the American people." Only 66 TSA workers have been arrested out of 60,000 present and past TSA screeners, and for every TSA employee who handles a bag, it's touched by four airline employees. Still, the TSA itself warns travelers to pack valuables, like jewelry and money in carry-on bags.
Still waiting. I hear your chains clanking, but I don't see any sourcing of your claims.
Not anymore, Congress recently passed a law (as part of the intelligence reform bill) that disallows any form of firemaking equipment on the plane. Matches only ... go figure.
Isn't shooting thieves a little extreme? I think cutting off their hands, like in Saudi Arabia, would be more civil.
Exactly. A lot of people get angry but what good does that do? You are right. We all pack too much. Lighten the load and enjoy the trip. :) Merry Christmas.
See? You've had good experiences too. I think it helps the screeners too. We've been in line and had our shoes off all ready to go and the people in front of us act like they are surprised when it comes to their turn when they are asked to please remove their shoes, place their bags in the bins, etc. If everyone would do that ahead of time the lines would move along smoothly.
Not only do we travel light...we make sure we are at the airport about 2 hours early. We'd rather be there early and get through security with just a few travelers than to wait and then have to stand in line for an hour or more. We get on the other side of security and then we can go have something to eat, visit the shops, walk around, use the restrooms, read, etc. Time goes by very quickly and before you know it we are boarding our flight. It all makes much more sense.
I have one bag that carries my cell phone, etc. We keep a few extra clothes, shoes and toiletries with our familes. That way they are there for us. I know it's a pain in the neck but...9-11 changed our world as we knew it and so for the price of our safety and the safety of my loved ones we are willing to be inconvenieced somewhat. The thing is to make sure you travel so light you can get through quickly.
I remember when I used to carry a HUGE carry on, purse and then a bag for under my seat. I didnt' need all that stuff. I remember one time prior to 9-11 some guys came in and carried on TIRES. Now that's a little much I would think and...you can't put much else in an overhead bin if there are tires in there. Besides...what if one of those bins opened? Wow. We've heard all these horror stories about security and have never once had anything like that happen to us nor have we seen it happen to others coming or going. The security people and screeners who do the bags etc. have been nothing but polite, nice, happy and smiling and doing a professional job. Maybe we have been lucky, who knows but from where we stand... but for our part, we think it is nice to be polite and return a happy smile and a thank you to them as well. They are only doing their job too.
Anyway, happy traveling. I STILL prefer to road trip. More fun, more to see, more relaxing, take what you want, buy what you want but...doesn't get us from point A to point B like air travel so...guess we need to make the wise decisions for our own comfort in the name of safety.
As for us...light is the keyword and flexibility is next. If you are gonna fly over the holidays EXPECT delays and crowds. If there is ice and snow on the ground and the planes won't take off I am NOT gonna complain. I'd rather they err on the side of safety than to endanger the lives of all those on board just to meet a deadline.
Shipped everything UPS ahead of time to our son's apt.
You are wise. As for the Christmas gifts you are taking on...planning ahead there too is good cause you can purchase things that are soft and unbreakable. You can always wrap them once you are at your destination. Hope you dont' lose your Christmas dress too. But, if you did...you can always wear a nice pair of casual slacks and nice top. :) Dont' know where you are going but hope wherever your destination is you have a safe trip and a very, Merry Christmas!!!!!!
That's what I do!.......Really.
It's always waiting for me at the hotel.
Makes sense. Why in theee world would I put a camera, or jewelry or anything like that in a check in bag? First off I don't have good jewelry...I only have the little cute inexpensive things but...I still like them so why put them in a position where they can be stolen? I DO pack my little "jewels" and everything else in clear storage bags. They are great. Socks, undergarments, all go in clear plastic. They can SEE everything at a glance. I pack my shoes in clear storage bags too. The other thing I do too is when I pack some toiletries...I put them all in plastic and then put everything into a plastic zip container that you get things like pillow shams in. They are nice, have zippers and are nice and sturdy. So, since everything is in plastic containers of their own...There is double protection in the acatual carry on by going into another plastic container. Sure makes life easy. If then someone STILL wants to steal something...I say "go for it." I still have the nice slacks and top I am wearing and can wash and dry it when I get to my destination. If not...I'll purchase another pair of slacks and top.
One more thing...this year a friend of mine put me wise to a PASHMINA. Which is like a stole but wide, large and very thin. It is lightweight and is a blessing on the plane. It is a cashmere and wool blend and thin as tissue paper but on brother on a plane it is like gold. You can cover your whole body with it or...just put it around your shoulders. It is invaluable and I would recommend it to anyone whether they are flying, driving or eating out. It is wonderful. Beautiful colors and....it fits in a bag so easily. That's how nicely it folds down.
Happy traveling!
Well, thank you!
I got home to Pittsburgh safely. Didn't lose anything, hopefully didn't break anything. Didn't have to unwrap anything for security, either, so the brothers can't snoop.
Common sense: keep money, coins, valuable jewelry, cameras and the like in your carry on - not your check-in luggage. And don't take designer clothes with you on vacation. 'Nuff said.
How about a Tux?
Back in the 90's had mine stolen when enroute to a formal dinner.
Was it insured?
Blame isn't what I want...what I want is for my things to arrive in tact. Doesn't matter WHO is to blame once you lose your favorite piece of jewelry, or computer or anything else of value either monetarily or sentimentally. Blame won't bring the item back and so to me, it is not worth the hassle. Travel light and carry on your valuables. It works!
The TSA lock flags red whenever it is opened by any means other than the combination, which only the traveler should have. I don't know if it would deter a thief. I wasn't addressing the efficacy of locks, but rather your comment, "but now the security procedures preclude the use of locks" which, given my experience, I believe to not be the case.
That is simply not true.
From the TSA FAQ available at http://www.tsa.gov/public/display?content=0900051980082cb5
Locking Your Checked Baggage
In some cases screeners will have to open your baggage as part of the screening process. If your bag is unlocked then TSA will simply open and screen the baggage.
However, if you decide to lock your checked baggage and TSA cannot open your checked baggage through other means, then the locks may have to be broken. TSA is not liable for damage caused to locked bags that must be opened for security purposes.
TSA suggests that you help prevent the need to break your locks by using a TSA recognized locking mechanism. These "special" locks can be opened by TSA using tools provided to us by the luggage industry members.
I agree with your suspictions.
In fact, he was probably promoted.
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