Need a replacement Mac Pro tower / case

[jmacina]

Just dived into the Mac world but I was transporting my brand new Mac Pro quad through JFK airport and checked it in the original packing with EXTRA wrapping. Well some TSA agent wanted to check the insides to make sure it was a Mac and the guy must of not known how to pull the lever so he took a crow bar to external parts and pried it open. So I need to get myself a new tower / case for my Mac. Anyone know where I can sort one? Besides going thorugh Apple care or something as I blew ALL of my cash on the system itself so I would just buy the new case and dismantle and rebuild it by myself as it looks pretty easy going.

[pkoch1]

Just dived into the Mac world but I was transporting my brand new Mac Pro quad through JFK airport and checked it in the original packing with EXTRA wrapping. Well some TSA agent wanted to check the insides to make sure it was a Mac and the guy must of not known how to pull the lever so he took a crow bar to external parts and pried it open. So I need to get myself a new tower / case for my Mac. Anyone know where I can sort one? Besides going thorugh Apple care or something as I blew ALL of my cash on the system itself so I would just buy the new case and dismantle and rebuild it by myself as it looks pretty easy going.

What does the TSA have to say for themselves? Shouldn't they be responsible?

[edesignuk]

"TSA Agents" are allowed to just break peoples stuff with no recourse? :confused:

[maclover001]

The guy attempted to open your computer with a crowbar, and he expects you to pay for a new case?

[Tesselator]

I'm willing to bet there is no recourse. USA has gone completely mad from what I hear on the news and over the radio.

Anyway, these aren't your case but emailing them might turn up some answers:

http://www.dvwarehouse.com/Apple-Case-for-Mac-Pro-922-8000-----NEW-p-35381.html

http://www.applepalace.com/apple-mac/apple-parts/mac-pro-parts/mac-pro-early-2008/enclosure-without-power-supply-922-8493.asp

[Umbongo]

Just dived into the Mac world but I was transporting my brand new Mac Pro quad through JFK airport and checked it in the original packing with EXTRA wrapping. Well some TSA agent wanted to check the insides to make sure it was a Mac and the guy must of not known how to pull the lever so he took a crow bar to external parts and pried it open. So I need to get myself a new tower / case for my Mac. Anyone know where I can sort one? Besides going thorugh Apple care or something as I blew ALL of my cash on the system itself so I would just buy the new case and dismantle and rebuild it by myself as it looks pretty easy going.

Go to Apple and get a quote for the repair then file a claim with the TSA. Replacing the case yourself may void aspects of your warranty.

[hugodrax]

Patriot act does not allow you to claim damages against TSA.

[nanofrog]

You can locate case parts at macpalace.com (http://macpalace.com/Scripts/default.asp). New, but not inexpensive though.

[velocityg4]

Going by this thread there is some actions you can take to recover your losses.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-safety-security/422963-tsa-damage-claims.html

Claim Form (http://www.tsa.gov/assets/pdf/sf-95_claim_package.pdf)(PDF)
TSA Claims FAQ (http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/customer/claims/faq.shtm)

Start the claims process with your airlines as well. Since your Mac Pro was not locked shut you should have a case.

[Consultant]

They damaged it. They are responsible.

Got photo?

[Spanky Deluxe]

That is insane! How can one latch be so hard for someone to understand? Definitely get a quote from Apple and submit a claim. Dismantling a Mac Pro and putting it in a new case is quite a few hours of labour and Apple will want to charge a hell of a lot for it. Even then, Apple may not honour any warranty on it ever again due to the past damage so it looks like the TSA agent's inability to pull a latch has cost you a very large sum.

I wonder what this TSA agent's house looks like. I wouldn't be surprised if his doors and cupboards are all hacked to pieces after he couldn't understand how to use a doorknob.

Edit: Please post photos, this is unbelievable!! 206 Mac Pro cases seem to go for about $200-$300 on eBay but if its a 2009 Mac Pro then you're screwed.

[ChemiosMurphy]

Dude. That is complete and utter crap and the fact the patriot act gives them a rubber stamp is wrong too.

Kudo's to you for being seemingly calm, because I would have been escorted out in a police vehicle if i was in that situation. I hope it works out well for you.

[Tesselator]

Dude. That is complete and utter crap and the fact the patriot act gives them a rubber stamp is wrong too.

Something worse than the patriot act passed just a few days ago.

[nanofrog]

Something worse than the patriot act passed just a few days ago.
Lest we not forget FISA either.

[Tesselator]

Hehe, yeah, but we're allowed to spy on foreigners. :D It wasn't till the patriot act and PA2! amended FISA that the US criminal err, I mean US federal, government could spy on US citizens - among other things. :( What passed recently basically classifies anyone with a "cause" organized or not, political or not, as a terrorist and thereby denies them due process and etc.

So to keep it on topic it's nearly so wide reaching that if jmacina decides to make this a mission or try to get things changed so that this doesn't happen in the future he could end up in Guantanomo or where ever they're putting "unlawful enemy combatants" these days. Pretty sick.

[nanofrog]

Hehe, yeah, but we're allowed to spy on foreigners. :D It wasn't till the patriot act and PA2! amended FISA that the US criminal err, I mean US federal, government could spy on US citizens - among other things. :( What passed recently basically classifies anyone with a "cause" organized or not, political or not, as a terrorist and thereby denies them due process and etc.

So to keep it on topic it's nearly so wide reaching that if jmacina decides to make this a mission or try to get things changed so that this doesn't happen in the future he could end up in Guantanomo or where ever they're putting "unlawful enemy combatants" these days. Pretty sick.
Use fear to push/pass bills that start with "outside" elements. Pushing consecutive bills/ammendments eventually turned inward as well. As long as that type of mentality continues, it's inevitable. Reminds me of some not too distant history. :rolleyes: ;)

"We think we have xyz going on in the west coast somewhere". "OK, you have permission then". After they've already been collecting "data" for months. Perhaps a little simplified, but not by much. Oversight and due process have effectively been thrown out the window. :rolleyes: :(

[jnc]

I remember travelling to the US in 05, having my suitcase destroyed on the final leg of my journey because I guess they don't understand anything more complex than a zip. The suitcase had a latch closing mechanism.

I received it hanging half open with "Checked by Security tape wrapped around it. Nice, it almost survived the whole trip.

That they did it to a $x,000 Mac Pro.... yikes. I wouldn't have left the airport until I had complimentary tickets to hawaii or something :eek:

[Tesselator]

Use fear to push/pass bills... :rolleyes: :(

Yup, and the saddest part is that it's not working any longer on the people - Just the members of congress are are still buying it. So it's no representation any longer either. :mad:

I remember travelling to the US in 05, having my suitcase destroyed on the final leg of my journey because I guess they don't understand anything more complex than a zip. The suitcase had a latch closing mechanism.

I received it hanging half open with "Checked by Security tape wrapped around it. Nice, it almost survived the whole trip.

That they did it to a $x,000 Mac Pro.... yikes. I wouldn't have left the airport until I had complimentary tickets to hawaii or something :eek:

I flew out to a business meeting in Texas from Japan in late 2007. I went through Nagoya, Tokyo, Detroit, and Austin airports. Nagoya and Tokyo were the same as they ever had been over the past 25 years. Detroit was conducted like a state prison facility. Seriously identical. I was body searched (patted down) and asked more questions about who I was, what I was doing, how I made my livelihood, etc. etc. etc. than I even knew myself. I was making stuff up just to get the answers in. :p Like any of that could tell them anything at all. When they found vitamins in my luggage is when they started with the "personalized" treatment. Luckily however, they had me tear apart my own suitcases. I actually had to disassemble them. The funny part was that if I was trying to blow up the place or smuggle something it would have been pretty easy so IMO all of what I went through served no purpose other than to dehumanize the travel experience. Kinda dumb.

[J&JPolangin]

...why didn't you show the TSA agent how to open it, or at least explain it to him/her from the other "side of the line/table"?

[o2xygen]

Only in the USA right.....

poor guy, no one in New Zealand would be that dumb, the media here has a powerful influence, one call to the papers or "Fair-Go" and you're sorted. Would your travel insurance cover it? Or home+contents, you could lie and say it was a) dropped, or b) stolen. Something like that.

[jnc]

...why didn't you show the TSA agent how to open it, or at least explain it to him/her from the other "side of the line/table"?


The Mac would have pretty clearly not been carry-on luggage... the inspection likely wasn't done with him present, I don't think you'd just stand by and allow someone someone to hack your property open with a crowbar...

[grue]

Only in the USA right.....

poor guy, no one in New Zealand would be that dumb, the media here has a powerful influence, one call to the papers or "Fair-Go" and you're sorted. Would your travel insurance cover it? Or home+contents, you could lie and say it was a) dropped, or b) stolen. Something like that.

Tell that to the security monkey who made me open and unpack my parachute before boarding a connecting flight in Auckland. Plane left late since I needed to repack it before I got on board.

[TheNightPhoenix]

Tell that to the security monkey who made me open and unpack my parachute before boarding a connecting flight in Auckland. Plane left late since I needed to repack it before I got on board.

Wow, you must be really scared of flying, if you take your own parachute with you!

[grue]

Wow, you must be really scared of flying, if you take your own parachute with you!

Not remotely. I just don't care to trust some halfwit baggage handler with $10,000 worth of skydiving equipment that would take 12-14 weeks to have custom replacements made if they lost it, and I'd possibly die if they damaged it.

Thus, always carried on and never out of my sight.

[jnc]

Not remotely. I just don't care to trust some halfwit baggage handler with $10,000 worth of skydiving equipment that would take 12-14 weeks to have custom replacements made if they lost it, and I'd possibly die if they damaged it.

Thus, always carried on and never out of my sight.

That's...unintentionally hilarious. I can imagine all the other passengers giving you a death glare everytime there's some turbulence :D

[Tesselator]

Thus, always carried on and never out of my sight.

I was told it was a federal crime to bring or attempt to bring a parachute as carry-on. :confused:

[Spanky Deluxe]

I was told it was a federal crime to bring or attempt to bring a parachute as carry-on. :confused:

Nope (http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1147.shtm). :)