My IPOD was stolen by Airport Homeland Security Officials!

[CrackedButter]

I recently went to Japan and took my iBook with me, i never left it for the baggage handles to check, i kept it with me at all times as hand luggage. Trouble was, i couldn't do the same for my tripod, the buggers somewhere enroute to Japan broke the handle from the UK then Italy. I could have claimed but strangely enough I managed to fix it and it works okay now, what could of made it worse was that it wasn't my tripod.

But anyway, i can understand, what I don't understand is how baggage handlers get away with such criminal damage.

 

[Timelessblur]

Yeah I have to say it sucks. It is a reason why I take all valible stuff like that with me as a carrior on. I have had my bags goen though to many times not to do stuff like that. 4 flights and 4 times I have been had my bag check. With out me being around. The stuff that goes with me as a carrior on it my calucalartor (it worth over 200) and laptop. I would be major hamper and tick if I lost either one of those items and the safe is to take items like that with me in my carrior on.

When they are carrior on you may be ask to turn on the stuff but you will be present to do so and the only time the stuff will be leaving you site is when it is inside the Xray machine and no one can get stuff out of there until it gets to the other side so there will be no worry about loosing it there.

Hind site is 20/20. Good luck to you in solving this problems

 

[keysersoze]

Save yourself a lot of time and heartache and get over it.

It's gone for good, like it or not.

Sorry it happened to you, but the sooner you move on the better.

You're not getting it or compensation for it.

Some f***er stole my Swoop Transformer out of my school bag in 4th grade. I'm STILL pissed thinking about that....

One doesn't easily get over being ripped off. If someone stole my iPod I would raise holy hell until I got a replacement.

 

[MacDawg]

Hey Hobo, I'm one of those people who you so kindly refer to as a "luggage goon." I work for an express carrier in a medium-sized regional airport, and quite frankly I truly don't appreciate your classist comment. That being said, I may be able to help with the iPod problem.
This kind of thing does happen from time to time (from my experience it has occured mostly with passengers traveling from poor island nations, but I'm sure it occurs all over the US too). Your airline most likely has a policy which should reimburse you for your stolen property. I would contact them first. The main potential problem you could face is your airline trying to pass the buck to TSA, and vice-versa. If this occurs, definetly be persistent, but also be very courteous with whom you speak (remember, the person you are speaking with 1. deals with this type of problem all of the time and even though it is very traumatic to you, it is routine for them 2. he/she was not the one who stole your iPod). This is a good rule for any airline problem you face: the person you are speaking to is trying to help you solve a problem that someone they've never met created in some other city, so treat them with respect.
As for why bags get tossed around "like footballs," you must remeber that a baggage handler must lift, sort and organize hundreds of bags a day, and often times this must happen in a very short period of time. Furthermore, the cargo bins that you have to work in are often very small and do not afford the worker much room to manuver in very well (i.e. it's not possible to use proper lifting techniques) and as such, gently tossing bags around is a necessity. This is why you should always pack your baggage very carefully, and NEVER, EVER pack something that you cannot go without for several days in your checked baggage. (If you pack your car keys in your checked bag, and it gets lost, the airline will not rent you a car for the week, nor will they buy you medication if you packed it away in a checked bag). If it's important, always carry it on with you.
Ok, I'll stop preaching the airline stuff now. But anyways, your airline should replace your iPod for you, Best of luck.

Great post GorillaPaws... you are right, while there are some goons on the ramp, there are many fine people doing the job. There are goons in every profession that make the majority look bad.

Sorry about the loss of the iPod. It really is a shame...

 

[OldManJimbo]

Save yourself a lot of time and heartache and get over it.
It's gone for good, like it or not.
Sorry it happened to you, but the sooner you move on the better.
You're not getting it or compensation for it.

Sorry to say i agree with this - and a note to anyone who flies:

I fly A LOT and never, I mean NEVER place anything in checked baggage that can't be replaced. Clothing can always be purchased at the other end. Also, when you are asked to take your checked bags to the TSA x-ray machine, stand there and wait for it to go all the way through before heading for your gate. If they find something in the x-ray that looks suspicious, you can watch while they rifle through your stuff.

I think the majority of TSA staff are well-meaning and trying to do a good job. But there are bad apples in every group and this iPod story is just another example of man's inhumanity to man.

 

[wPod]

TSA is joke anyway. They aren't fooling me with their inefficient, feel-good "security" crap.

lol, i completely agree. im sorry GorillaPaws but Apple Hobo is right. at smaller airports maybe they do something. for example i was in an airport in Montana and there were about 3 TSA employees for every passanger. And they checked EVERYONES bag! It appeared that they had nothing better to do.

but when i travel through larger airporst such as the airports in Dallas, the TSA is a joke. I practically get strip searched every time i go through security b/c of the small amounts of metal in my SANDLE buckles or my belt buckle. come on is there really room to hide a bomb in my BIRKENSTOCKS?!?!?! I think they need a compitent citizen line. for people who have no police record and were born in the US. you get to keep all of your clothes on and you just get your bag quickly run through the scanner to make sure no terrorist stuck something in there while you werent looking. simple, done. none of this take your laptop out, shoes off, belt off, arms out to the side, bend over while i get my plastic glove crap.

and the bad thing is all of this is useless!!!! i dont want to give any ideas to terrorists, but i was at an airport working on a project there and to get to where i needed to be for the project i had to go to a mantinance entrance at the airport. i passed by a gaurd stand. that was completely empty. drove through as a matter of fact. large truck. no gate, no security to check my credentials. proceded about my business for a couple of hours, and never saw any sort of security even pass by. you know what was seperating me for the tarmack? an unlocked door inside the bldg and outside by the parking lot only a chain link fense. (which would be nothing for a pair of pliars or a truck)

i certainly dont feel any safter in an airport. and now to know they will be rifiling through my stuff and stealing! ha. ill just fall back on my rule of not checking anything important!!! but i usually carry my PB or iPod on anyway for entertainment! sorry to hear about your iPod. id try calling the airline about it but do realize taking it to the extreme as other people have mentioned will cost you time and money, it might be easier/cheaper to buy a new one if the airline is not imidiatly helpful.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

Flying back from the Dominican Republic several years ago, someone swiped my electric razor. I told the airlines and they sent me a check for $100 to buy a replacement. It was a no hassle deal, almost a little scary how easy it turned out to be.

Just call the airlines and tell them what happened. You might want to mention all the songs you bought on ITMS that were on there as well - what was it? 150?

Good luck!

D

 

[jxyama]

I think they need a compitent citizen line. for people who have no police record and were born in the US.

let's not go there...

 

[James L]

let's not go there...

Wow, not quite racial profiling, but on its way! Wouldn't that still let people like Tomothy McVeigh get through though?

 

[Mr. Anderson]

let's not go there...

exactly - if you want to discuss this, take it to the political forums - if there isn't a thread already there on this, start one if you really think its necessary.

D

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

That may work for you, but bending over and taking it does not work for me! If it were me I would follow it right through the the top of the airline, the top of the airport, the airport police, the local police, if they are government employees (state or federal?) your government representative, the local news papers, the local radio stations, the local tv stations, etc.

James

I agree. The TSA website might be of help:

http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/editorial/editorial_1303.xml

and

http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/editorial/editorial_1028.xml

The shame of it is, it becomes a you against them. How do you prove that the ipod was in the bag? On a flight a year ago my other half lost a carton of cigs ($20), a watch ($50), and underwear ($15). It was a cluster you know what. Between TSA and the airline - America West (and their assigned handler of baggage - Delta) his baggage was searched by TSA, and was lost AND Damaged by America West/Delta (in Cinci of all places, for a trip from IAD to LAS via Phoenix).

All he got from TSA and the airlines was an apology since he could not prove those items were in the baggage. Really liking Independence Air with their jet side valet check in of baggage.

 

[ftaok]

<snip>

i certainly dont feel any safter in an airport. and now to know they will be rifiling through my stuff and stealing! ha. ill just fall back on my rule of not checking anything important!!! but i usually carry my PB or iPod on anyway for entertainment! sorry to hear about your iPod. id try calling the airline about it but do realize taking it to the extreme as other people have mentioned will cost you time and money, it might be easier/cheaper to buy a new one if the airline is not imidiatly helpful.

But what if you have to check your stuff in? For instance, you have two laptops and your carry-on? Or what if your important stuff are your golf clubs? Could you imagine Tiger Woods getting his lucky putter stolen on a commercial flight?

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

The good old paranoiac US of A ;-)

maybe they thought you had a bomb in your iPod, a Bomb of music that is

We took your iPod for your own security!!!

anyway its a shame it happened and I hope we'll see a happy ending on your iPod story!

the best of luck

J

I really hate flying now. I am a serious photographer so my gear that I carry-on is:

Two or three camera bodies, 4 to 8 lenses. 20 to 40 rolls of film, digital media cards, batteries of all sorts, a computer, a PDA, a cell phone, and my iPod.

I show up early of course. And even the best intentions backfire. Last year went to Las Vegas from Dulles Airport on Xmas day. No real problems, I even took and made sure that a I picked up extra "clear" film cans for my film to speed the process. All they did was swab my gear and exterior of the film cans, and I was on my way. (Along that I had all my electronic gear "on" before getting to the security check point).

Returning from Vegas, was another story. They took out every film can and swabbed the inside and outside. Evidently a couple of cans had traces of nitrates (caused by hand lotion by the people that dropped the cans off at the store I picked them up from). This triggered a full search of my carry-on's and checked baggage. EVERYTHING had come out of my pockets. Belt off, shoes off. I was just waiting for the full cavity search. I had to answer questions of all of my travels over that week. (I must have missed the alert on us Polish terrorists that week). they even copied my drivers license. I am now in some damned database somewhere!

For those that think I might have provoked the situation. All I had asked for was a hand search of my film.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Hey Hobo, I'm one of those people who you so kindly refer to as a "luggage goon." I work for an express carrier in a medium-sized regional airport, and quite frankly I truly don't appreciate your classist comment.

While the term was harsh, it was directed at the industry as a whole, not you personally. Just as my working in the retail sector labels me as a "retail lackey".

It is also an indication of how the airlines (as a company, not their employees) look at the flying public. Everyone looks for a scapegoat, and the baggage handlers are the ones to blame about baggage issues. Prior to 9-11 the airlines looked for every excuse not to pay a claim for lost or damaged bags IMO (myself having more than my fair share of complaints). Now in teh post 9-11 world we have "government agents" that can open our bags, and it seems that we have little recourse in the claims process.

Then add to that the number of airlines (at least at IAD) that "contract-out" gate and baggage services to other airlines. Is it unreasonable to expect on a flight between IAD and LAS via PHX on America West that my bags stay on America West? Not on a Delta flight from IAD to CVG to LAS? Keep in mind we were the #3 check-in for the first flight of the day on America West. And it took just under 48 hours for them to "find" the bags for a 120 hour trip. Had to cancel a dinner for that evening that required a suit and tie (it was Xmas Day) that we had to reserve months in advance.

What ticks me off on my situation is that America West was saying that they were searching PHX for the bag. Having no clue that Delta had placed it on a IAD to CVG to LAS route. When got the bag showing clearly that the bag was routed through CVG, both airlines denied that the bag was ever there at CVG.

T%o be honest I am starting to love airlines like Independence Air and the old Midway Express, and their kind. They use CRJ type aircraft. Bag check in is at the gate in the cases I have had. The "valet" sees the condition of the bags, and you see them when they had it back to you at the destination. It doesn't answer the theft issue totally, but far better than the majors and the TSA "unseen" screening.

The greater issue in this post 9-11 world is security of the flight and security of the belongings of those on that flight. I wonder how the airlines would respond if we started to give them an itemized list of belongings in checked bags.

Correct me if I am wrong, but the laws as they stand now allow the airlines and TSA to point fingers at each other. And the consumer gets in the end without Vaseline.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Anyways, do you work at Charlottesville for US Air Express? I used to take the flight to/from Philly every other week for about 2 years or so. All the people involved with UAExpress there were top notch. I really enjoyed that little airport. The atmosphere at the Philly airport is not quite as nice. Just can't beat the small(er) town attitude.

ft

Depending on how long ago, UAExpress flights were handled by Atlantic Coast Airlines. they are now flying as Independence Air. First class operation back then. And even now under their own colors.

The IA terminal at IAD (Dulles) does bring back the small town terminal feel.

 

[rhpenguin]

I was just waiting for the full cavity search.

I have a piercing in a "special" area that always leads to me dropping trow when i travel.. Just one of those things you get used to...

 

[Timelessblur]

But what if you have to check your stuff in? For instance, you have two laptops and your carry-on? Or what if your important stuff are your golf clubs? Could you imagine Tiger Woods getting his lucky putter stolen on a commercial flight?

well for laptops they general go in a carry-on bag so that should not count agaist you. In my laptop bag I have my laptop, cords and stuff that go with it, my calulator (TI-Vorager 200) and a few school books. There is still some room left in there. And then I have my back pack as carry on number 2 with the other items that I perfer to carry on. Mostly hygen stuff and medications. In my pockets I tend to have the stuff I normaly carry on me. Keys, Cell phone, wallet, Mechical penical and eraser, change. Under the plan goes clouthing and other items that are easily replaceble and not a big deal if I loose. I put text book in there before because who in there right mind would want a calucas book or other engineering books

 

[jxyama]

Correct me if I am wrong, but the laws as they stand now allow the airlines and TSA to point fingers at each other. And the consumer gets in the end without Vaseline.

well, since this is getting off topic, i'll keep this short. i don't really care to defend the airline industry, but you yourself gave a prime example of (partially) why airline industries have to do what it's doing: to cut costs.

you said it yourself, you flew America West - a budget airline. while i don't know why you chose America West to fly from Washington DC to Las Vegas, but i'm fairly certain price had something to do with it. airline industry as a whole is in a lose-lose situation. "consumers" are notoriously price conscious but expect the same services as before. fuel prices are rising too...

anyway, like i said, it's a messy situation but airline industries aren't exactly healthy. they have reasons for what they do - other than trying to "screw the consumers," which i'm sure they don't. it's just a consequence of them looking out for their own interest and i can't really fault them for doing that.

 

[jxyama]

But what if you have to check your stuff in? For instance, you have two laptops and your carry-on? Or what if your important stuff are your golf clubs? Could you imagine Tiger Woods getting his lucky putter stolen on a commercial flight?

sorry, but it's not airline's problem to cater to absolutely every single flyer under extraneous situations. if you have two laptops, that's not airline's problem. they are providing a service for a fee and there are limitations to what kind of services they can provide for you for that fee. it is also implied that the services they provide come with certain risks. lost luggage and shoddy security screening processes are part of them.

before you start asking what airlines can do to accomodate your rather extraneous example of needing to travel with two laptops, you should probably be asking yourself why you need two of them to begin with.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

I think the majority of TSA staff are well-meaning and trying to do a good job. But there are bad apples in every group and this iPod story is just another example of man's inhumanity to man.

You are right, but it takes only one or two to ruin it for all. I have to ask, do you feel the same way when a store "clerk" does you "wrong"? Do blame the chain, or the "clerk"? Too many will blame the "store". So why should the TSA be any different? Or even the airlines?

The main issue is the behind the scenes screening that we have no control over. And it seems no clear recourse for true loss. In a previous post I was completely honest as to my other half's loss's. Yet, he was treated as a criminal trying to rip off the system.

It also gets down to the buck passing between the TSA and the airlines when things do go wrong. I for one would have no issues in getting to the airport early in order to allow a physical inspection of my checked bags, if I am able to put my own (non-TSA approved) locks on the bag.

 

[MacFan26]

Actually, maybe not the whole world. I can only speak for myself (abviously), and well, frankly, I couldn't care less

haha, alright then. A LOT of the world will be watching.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Flying back from the Dominican Republic several years ago, someone swiped my electric razor. I told the airlines and they sent me a check for $100 to buy a replacement. It was a no hassle deal, almost a little scary how easy it turned out to be.

Just call the airlines and tell them what happened. You might want to mention all the songs you bought on ITMS that were on there as well - what was it? 150?

Good luck!

D

not all of us have been so lucky in dealing with stolen goods from our baggage. In our case we got only a empty apology and finger pointing.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

exactly - if you want to discuss this, take it to the political forums - if there isn't a thread already there on this, start one if you really think its necessary.

D

In some ways it might be a Political Forum issue; but I think it is an honest assessment of where our priorities are when hiring people. And when we do hire them, what do we pay them.

From what I understand TSA staff at the lower levels are paid in the $25-35K range. In most major cities where the security threat can be considered the highest, this barely allows for poverty level of living. In the DC houses are reaching a $225K average. Rents in OK areas are $1K a month. Minimum wage is just $5,15 an hour.

using (http://www.westegg.com/inflation/) in 2003 $ that means a wage of $5.78 an hour. Even that doesn't track the true costs of inflation. Gas, oil, education (which so many point to as a way from the minimum wage), and many other "expenses" have gone up far more than "inflation".

This does not excuse doing wrong, but it shows the disconnect between realities. Will the TSA review the video tape and replace the stolen iPod, if their people are shown to do it? Or is it another 'white van driver" incident"?

 

[echeck]

And this is why I have never checked a single bag in all my flights. One carry-on piece of luggage and my backpack, that's all I need.

I hope you can get your iPod back.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

I have a piercing in a "special" area that always leads to me dropping trow when i travel.. Just one of those things you get used to...

I have good "sized" nipple ring that cuases me problems from time to time. I travel without a t-shirt, and a buttoned shirt so that I show my "glory". Not quite like yours.

I was traveling with a friend post 9-11 that has two VERY large nipple rings attached to a chain that leads down to you know where (what can I say, I have interesting friends). the metal doesn't end there. He has taken to having a full body photo to share with TSA agents.