Luggage pilfering and damage?

[vadsoom]

>:( In a recent business trip, I left my checked luggage unlocked, per TSA regulations and even went so far as to tell the agent that my Leatherman Charge was clipped into the front pocket with a sturdy gate snap. When I got to my destination, the pocket was zipped closed, the gate snap intact, but no Leatherman tool. It was clear to me (and the airline baggage representatives) that the tool had been stolen by baggage. I can't tell you how upsetting this is! I declared it to the airline and filled out some forms, but have to wait for them to "decide" if they will reimburse me for my loss.

It seems ridiculous that I paid them top dollar (about $1300) to transport me from one point to another, they stole my belongings and I have to fill out the paperwork and wait for them to respond. Simply crappy service.

Several years ago (before the ban) I had the same experience with a butane soldering iron and have also experienced the complete destruction of my luggage and a smashed oscilloscope. In the Philippines, my luggage zippers were “worked open” and half of the bag contents were pilfered.

On the other hand, I’ve logged hundreds of thousands of air miles during my career and, surprisingly, have had only a few incidences of poor baggage handling, damage, loss or theft. I’ve had lots of bags misrouted or delayed, but have always received them eventually.

So, should I be grateful or angry? What do you think?

I’d like to hear your experiences. Please chime in.

[Codeman]

Both! Grateful it hasn't happened more often, angry that it did happen.

With post-9/11 restrictions for carry-on, our choices have been limited. I always used to put anything I valued in carry-on.

I wish I had an answer for you. After 250k miles myself, I've only had a single lost bag, and it was a routing error. I got it back in a couple of days.

Now, I'd use TSA locks. They may not provide any real security, but they do put the blame on the airline when something goes missing. I'd also stick things in out of the way places - wrapped in underwear, so they aren't readily visible on inspection. If might not deter them, but it at least they'd have to work harder for it, meaning more time, which just might cause them to be spotted. Yeah, that's a long shot...

Anything of real value that can't be carried on, I'd at least consider sending through an insured shipper. It's not as convenient, and will run into some costs over time, but at least there's some peace of mind.

[brix]

I too am lucky that this has not happened to me. I also use TSA locks and put my gear in Pelican Boxes under in the middle of my clothes which makes it that much harder to get to without purposely going through my stuff. I also like to take pictures of my stuff before I lock it up so that it helps when I have to file a claim. I am traveling to the Philippines in Jan so it looks like I have to make sure that the gear I bring either is carry-on or something that I will not mind loosing.

When traveling with more expensive gear it might be a good idea to have it sent to your next destination via FedEx, which will allow you to get it insured. Most hotels will hold packages for you until you arrive.

Thanks for sharing

[Phaeton]

Sorry you got ripped. I do not know of any good solution. I think using a TSA approved lock might provide some small amount of additional security. At least it will prevent the quick reach in and grab. Can we assume that every baggage handler does not have their own TSA key by now? I don't know.

The only advice I can offer is what I have started doing since we no longer can carry on our EDC items. I put my knives and multitool in my toiletries kit. They go in there with a bunch of other small, randomly shaped items. It is also another level of closure that would have to be opened. I guess the deeper you can bury something, the better your chances of arriving with your gear intact.

I no longer travel with expensive or personally special pieces. I try to limit my carry to items that are economically and emotionally replaceable.

Mark

[temujin]

The only advice I can offer is what I have started doing since we no longer can carry on our EDC items. I put my knives and multitool in my toiletries kit. They go in there with a bunch of other small, randomly shaped items. It is also another level of closure that would have to be opened. I guess the deeper you can bury something, the better your chances of arriving with your gear intact.


Has this worked for you? I never tried, figuring they'd be on the hunt for that deadly >3-oz. bottle of shampoo and being the sharp guardians of homeland security, they'd figure that shampoo might be in a toiletries kit.

:lolhammer:

[Mark123]

Sorry about your loss. >:(

Considering the millions who fly every year, these are, of course, isolated, rare incidents.

The way I keep my sanity is I mentally separate the "no lose" items (passport/ID, etc...) versus the items that would be an inconvenience or pain to lose. Meaning I assume some risk and don't become obsessive about these things.

[0dBm]

I don't travel by commercial aircraft that often anymore. When I do, I carry items that are quality enough to do the job, but won't be sorely missed if they just happen to "grow legs."

It is an annoyance that I have accepted in this millennium.

I highly suspect that travel to any third world country will have additional pitfalls.

Sorry about your loss.

[Lugsalot]

As if traveling wasn't enough of a pain already! :rant:

I don't travel by air much at all...perhaps once every few years or so. Things like this make me disinclined to get on a plane.

You spent $1300.00 on a trip that required you to check your personal belongings, and at some point your belongings were stolen. For them to do nothing about this is basically them saying "We don't care about our customers. We encourage our employees to steal anything they can get their hands on."

I think you ought to stay angry and keep at these goons until they reimburse you for your loss. If they refuse, there must be a third party who can hound them for you. Is there some organization that people can appeal to in situations like these?



I don't travel by commercial aircraft that often anymore. When I do, I carry items that are quality enough to do the job, but won't be sorely missed if they just happen to "grow legs."


This is a good idea. I'll follow this advice as much as I can next time I have to fly anywhere.



It is an annoyance that I have accepted in this millennium.


Expect it, but don't accept it. If a big enough fuss is made about stuff like this, airlines will have to fix the problem or suffer a loss of business. If an airline employee stole something from me and I could prove it, I'd take great pleasure in seeing that person get canned. I'd also strongly suggest that the airline in question treat me like royalty to avoid a lawsuit.

[0dBm]

I thought about using a Pelican 1200 or 1400 case and using small-diameter braided cable to attach my EDC items TO the case so that TSA can inspect them, but would be prohibitively difficult to separate them from the case. Additionally, photographing the case with it's contents and preparing a written description by line item and include them in the case for inventory before and after the flight might be a good way to control those items.

[Lugsalot]

Those are really good ideas.

I'd like to know if there's a way to get the name and work phone number of a baggage claim shift-supervisor (or equivalent) before departing. It might make tracking down the culprit a bit easier if you can call their boss and chew him out for allowing his minions to rob customers. :spank:

It really burns me that passengers are required to submit to ridiculous invasions of privacy when traveling by air, while the airlines have set up a pretty good system for any thieves they happen to have on their payroll. In the event that something is stolen, the passenger has to fight through the airline's bureaucracy in order to achieve any kind of satisfaction! :brickwall:

If ever there was an institution that required more transparency, this is it. :police:

[Onedzguy]

Sorry to hear that you got ripped off. I have always counted on my hard shell Samsonite luggage. If TSA wanted to open the locks on my luggage, I would always show him the combination numbers on a very small slip of paper. And I always asked for that paper back and visually check the locks before the ticket agent tags the luggage. My hard shell has a warped axle wheel on the left side of the luggage and several deep gashes on both sides. Gotta love Samsonite for this one.

[jonny8642]

Sorry about your loss >:(, but I ran into a similar situations with one of my spydercos and my leather man squirt with wire strippers instead of pliers. The only issue I ever had with my Oscilloscope, was when I decided to carry it on, a TSA agent took it not doing their usual asking who's it was, and when I asked them what they were doing, they told me they were going to confiscate it saying that they didn't know what it was because of the battery and they need to do a further inspection, even though the battery wasn't in it. But I am in the same boat as you I have logged tons of miles with my work. But I have only had four major incidences with my luggage. But what are you going to do :shrug:

[karlito]

Unfortunately it may not have been the baggage handlers at all. I remember watching a news expose about buggage pilfering, hidden camera and all, BY THE TSA ! :rant: It is such a shame when those who are suppose to "protect " us take advantage of their positions for their own gain.

[Lugsalot]

Unfortunately it may not have been the baggage handlers at all. I remember watching a news expose about buggage pilfering, hidden camera and all, BY THE TSA ! :rant: It is such a shame when those who are suppose to "protect " us take advantage of their positions for their own gain.


Wow, it's like the ending to a really cheesy police-drama, where the stubborn, jaded, cynical protagonist discovers that he's basically the only cop in the city who isn't corrupt. This is probably after his plucky rookie partner's been killed as well, so then he flies off the rails and takes down the crime-syndicate and the entire crooked police department in a climactic showdown. I think the villain gets killed in some ironic way while making a long-winded, presumptuous victory speech, and then the hero mutters a dry one-liner in a tired rasp just before the credits roll.

Hmmm...maybe an advocacy group isn't what we need at all, but rather some kind of over-the-top, summer-blockbuster-style vigilante justice...with lots of pyrotechnics! :cool:

...

Seriously, the TSA are a bunch of redundant jerks who can't even provide the illusion of safety, let alone the real thing. In my personal interpretation of heaven, these people are taken out of the line and subjected to every humiliating inconvenience imaginable, for everyone's safety, of course! After all that, the lake of fire awaits! :evilgrin:

[rik]

Unfortunately, it's not the airline's problem, really. The baggage handlers are a separate company, and likewise there's the TSA. We're required to check our luggage in, not allowed anything sharp or liquid or.. point is, anything of any value aside from a camera goes into checked luggage, and as far as we can tell, there's no real guarentee that it's coming out the other side, or if it does come out, whether it's been destroyed for us.

There's a possibiltiy that I'm going to end up flying btween two locations on a regular basis, and my soilution here is to go through my EDC, and store a copy of it at each place I'm at. Don't fly with it, but have it at the other end. Applying this to vadsoom's issue - I'd lay down requirements on the places you're visiting to have the equipment ready for you when you arrive, rentable at a distinctly reasonable rate from your emplyer - ie, about the cost to fedex stuff over and back again. Discuss this with your employer - see if they value the revenue stream of Fedex versus the cost of replacing items. Remember to put in a "misc engineer's items" space into the box, so that you have space to put in anything you want to travel with fedex in a box that's already going.

[jemhouston]

If you're flying between two places on a regular basis, are you staying in the hotel / motel every time? If you are, check there to see about storing items there. I know some high end motels offer such services. I wouldn't store anything too valuable or big, but a small kit might make it.

[Crocodilo]

I've had some items stolen before, but everytime this has happened has been whenever I went through Amsterdam Schipooll(spelling) Airport. Leathermans and pocket knives on checked luggage. Other times I just noticed someone had gone through my bags and "rearranged" stuff...

[riprater]

One option is to take a big beefy zip tie and secure it (knife, multi tool, etc) to the rails inside the luggage. When you arrive, take a pair of nail clippers to remove the zip tie. Not fool proof, but makes it a little bit more difficult for it to grow legs while still being available for inspection and not accidentally being re-packed back in to your luggage...

[Stutoffee]

To be honest, Im horrified that these invasions of privacy occur in the name of so-called security.
We, (in the UK) may have lost many freedoms (ownership of firearms, the ludicrous knife laws, the ever-present CCTV cameras etc) but my case is locked with a combination lock & numbered security seal & on my many trips overseas (mostly to Spain & Greece to visit "the missus" 5-6 times a year!) my case has never, EVER been opened. Not even by Customs at the Airport when I return home.

It also seems a joke that these TSA numpties get to call themselves "Federal Agents!"

[Lunal_Tic]

The TSA are supposed to leave a note in your bag telling if they've been through it but there are also TSA approved locks now that can tell you if they've been opened with the TSA master keys. Unfortunately both the TSA and airlines try to put the blame on each other so chasing down and getting compensation is difficult at best. All that still doesn't help when you arrive at your destination with out the items you need or even worse if it was something of sentimental value that can't be replaced.

I've even run into TSA agents that have told me that they don't have to tell us their name if we want to file a complaint so I guess we are left to offer a physical description and a location only of the incident.

-LT

[bigfoot]

Like other posters, I've been using the cable/zip tie approach. TSA can get into the bag if they need to and it might (if I'm lucky) make somebody think twice about trying to swipe something from my bags.

I don't put anything in my checked baggage that I can't afford to lose. Someone might find a cheap flashlight or an old Leatherman or SAK, but that would be about it. Anything valuable stays on my person.

Even that Leatherman or SAK will be buried in clothes. If they want it that bad I'll make 'em work for it.

[Stutoffee]

Would you be permitted to lock your LM or similar Multi-tool to the internal frame of a suitcase with a chain or steel cable?
Perhaps the item could even be secured in a small steel mesh pouch rather like the large pac-safe items made to go over rucksacks.
This would enable TSA "Agents" (Still cant call them Agents without sniggering!) to examine the contents but would (hopefully?) make it abit harder to steal.

[0dBm]

Even that Leatherman or SAK will be buried in clothes.

A good friend of mine is visiting my home as I type this. He travels frequently and has had to get creative with protecting his valuables.

We joked about a few methods and he offered one that almost turned my stomach.

His method to keep the TSA's finest from liberating his Charge and SAK is to use an old but clean underpants, gun oil, and some common condiments. He soils the side of the underpants that contacts the Leatherman and SAK with gun oil. On the opposite side of the undergarment, he lightly soils it with ketchup, pickle juice, and soy sauce to give it what he states "a well-used aroma." He then dries the garment by allowing it to sit in the sun for a few days to achieve a "weathered, having sat in the laundry pile for a few weeks look." He then soils some condoms with the soy sauce and allows it to stick to the garment. He then wraps the Charge and SAK with the garment and places the setup in a sealed, heavyweight plastic bag with the tools partially exposed so TSA Inspectors know what they are and places it at the very bottom of his suitcase. I suspect that sealing the plastic bag keeps the odor contained. :yikes:

He just stated that in over 100 flights, this setup has never been disturbed.

My friend is a bit eccentric. :green:

[DB]

A good friend of mine is visiting my home as I type this. He travels frequently and has had to get creative with protecting his valuables.

We joked about a few methods and he offered one that almost turned my stomach.

His method to keep the TSA's finest from liberating his Charge and SAK is to use an old but clean underpants, gun oil, and some common condiments. He soils the side of the underpants that contacts the Leatherman and SAK with gun oil. On the opposite side of the undergarment, he lightly soils it with ketchup, pickle juice, and soy sauce to give it what he states "a well-used aroma." He then dries the garment by allowing it to sit in the sun for a few days to achieve a "weathered, having sat in the laundry pile for a few weeks look." He then soils some condoms with the soy sauce and allows it to stick to the garment. He then wraps the Charge and SAK with the garment and places the setup in a sealed, heavyweight plastic bag with the tools partially exposed so TSA Inspectors know what they are and places it at the very bottom of his suitcase. I suspect that sealing the plastic bag keeps the odor contained. :yikes:

He just stated that in over 100 flights, this setup has never been disturbed.

My friend is a bit eccentric. :green:


ROFL....I'd like to see the reaction of the TSA agents when they come across this. :laugh:

[vadsoom]

I replaced my pilfered Charge TTI and will never carry it on a flight again. Instead, I'll get to my destination, find a Wal-mart and buy a $10 "disposable" tool. If it gets pilfered, I don't care. I'll just replace it again.

[Codeman]

A good friend of mine is visiting my home as I type this. He travels frequently and has had to get creative with protecting his valuables.

We joked about a few methods and he offered one that almost turned my stomach.

His method to keep the TSA's finest from liberating his Charge and SAK is to use an old but clean underpants, gun oil, and some common condiments. He soils the side of the underpants that contacts the Leatherman and SAK with gun oil. On the opposite side of the undergarment, he lightly soils it with ketchup, pickle juice, and soy sauce to give it what he states "a well-used aroma." He then dries the garment by allowing it to sit in the sun for a few days to achieve a "weathered, having sat in the laundry pile for a few weeks look." He then soils some condoms with the soy sauce and allows it to stick to the garment. He then wraps the Charge and SAK with the garment and places the setup in a sealed, heavyweight plastic bag with the tools partially exposed so TSA Inspectors know what they are and places it at the very bottom of his suitcase. I suspect that sealing the plastic bag keeps the odor contained. :yikes:

He just stated that in over 100 flights, this setup has never been disturbed.

My friend is a bit eccentric. :green:


I believe I'd rather lose something rather than go through that!

[vadsoom]

There's a professionally made version of these. You can see them here: Skid Mark Security (http://www.asseenontvguys.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=344)

[RacerX]

Tag to last:

Blanket statements suck. Why? Because you guys are all bashing on TSA agents like they are *all* the Devil incarnate.

My sister-in-law works for the TSA. She is one of the most honest and law-abiding persons I have ever met. The very idea of this woman rifling thru someone's luggage for some crappy multitool is absolutely absurd.

Tone it down, willya folks? The TSA bashing going on in this thread (and others) doesn't exactly offer anything to the "family feel" of this place, and it's actually making me a bit sick.

[Lugsalot]

For the record, I'd like to say that I've got nothing against honest people who are just doing their job. As a security guard I understand quite well what it's like to be vilified simply because of my job, and I'm not about to indulge in the same kind of prejudice.

But we aren't talking about honest people like your sister-in-law here; we're talking about thievery under the auspices of safety and security. TSA workers like your sister-in-law may outnumber the thieves 100 to 1, but the actions of the latter and the unwillingness of their superiors do anything about it make everyone look bad, and are going to get the most attention.

Perhaps the energy we put into ranting would be better spent writing a letter to the head of the TSA or someone with influence in that arena, but surely you can understand our frustration, especially those of us whose careers require frequent air-travel.



Blanket statements suck. Why? Because you guys are all bashing on TSA agents like they are *all* the Devil incarnate.


You got me here, though. I did make a couple of blanket statements about all members of the TSA, which were really meant for the crooked ones only. I've done the same thing with the DMV and other bureaucratic organizations. I chalk it up to fits of righteous indignation, and offer my apology for including your sister-in-law (and all other honest TSA employees) in my sweeping generalizations.

[RacerX]

Meh, I just had a crap day at work, I suppose. Came home, read that, and thought "They're talking about Emily! Those bastards!"

I'll get over it :)

[Lugsalot]

At least we didn't kill Kenny, right? :P

[mongo]

Would you be permitted to lock your LM or similar Multi-tool to the internal frame of a suitcase with a chain or steel cable?
Perhaps the item could even be secured in a small steel mesh pouch rather like the large pac-safe items made to go over rucksacks.
This would enable TSA "Agents" (Still cant call them Agents without sniggering!) to examine the contents but would (hopefully?) make it abit harder to steal.


I travel by plane about once a year. I have a few select EDC items that I secure with a cable gun lock to the frame of my suitcase. I bring a spyderco knife and a SAK and thread the cable through the spyder hole and keychain hole respectively. Sometimes I also bring my BK&T BK-11 (i.e. the "Becker necker") and thread the cable through the holes in the skeletonized handle. One thing I will look into is some kind of small Otter box or similar that can hold stuff and have a lock hole to thread the cable through. I had my bags officially inspected once, who knows how many unofficial inspections there were. Nothing stolen that I can recall.

[NeonLights]

I replaced my pilfered Charge TTI and will never carry it on a flight again. Instead, I'll get to my destination, find a Wal-mart and buy a $10 "disposable" tool. If it gets pilfered, I don't care. I'll just replace it again.
You can get a Leatherman Kick at most Walmarts for $21.xx. It has got to be the best full-sized multi-tool for the price, and it won't be too upsetting if it gets stolen along the way.

[inthedark]

One of the first rules of traveling is don't take anything you aren't willing to lose. You can go through all the trouble of tying all your stuff to your suitcase with high strength steel cables with unbreakable locks, you have to remember, luggage is portable. No amount of security is going to prevent your luggage from just disappearing. And with most luggage, it's not much harder to just cut the fabric that you're attaching it to. Yeah, it would be more obvious that someone took it, but either way your stuff is going to be gone.

I know it's hard to do, we spend so much time analyzing every multitool or knife on the market, comparing features, making sure each one is perfect for our needs, that we want to carry it with us everywhere. But traveling is a whole different set of rules, things have a much higer chance of getting lost, stolen, or confiscated for no good reason. I picked up a bunch of those leatherman kicks when they were on sale for $9 for this very reason, and carry a $12 CRKT knife. Of course I'd prefer to have my usual EDC, but they work just as well for the short term, and if there is a problem, I have no issues just throwing them away if needed.

This is especially important if you are going to new places where you aren't sure what type of security you'll have to pass. I had that happen to me once in Canada. I had unknowingly carried a small Cold Steel knife through all the airports (pre 9/11), it was forgotten in a side pocket of my backpack. It wasn't noticed until I was taking a tour of one of the government buildings when I had to pass through a security screening. They saw the knife in the X-ray, pulled me aside in to a separate room where i had to wait for the Canadian Police to arrive. After about 45 minutes and some explaining, I just told them to just keep the knife and they let me on my way. I believe I had the option to get it back, but it would have required a lot more hassle and that I just didn't want to deal with.

[58sniper]

Sorry you got ripped. I do not know of any good solution. I think using a TSA approved lock might provide some small amount of additional security. At least it will prevent the quick reach in and grab. Can we assume that every baggage handler does not have their own TSA key by now? I don't know.

A former student of mine is now a profiler for the TSA. He has always told me that those keys for the TSA locks are kept secured. Baggage handlers (the ones who actually load your bags onto and off of the plane) don't have those keys. Only the inspectors have access to them.

I travel with a gun (or several), as does my wife. When we declare the firearms, we always open the TSA locks on the luggage, and the TSA inspector opens the ones on the guns. They always a common set of keys that the TSA screeners use. They don't each have a key (in my experience. YMMV). I put TSA locks on everything, including the backpack I board with. My backpack contains all things of value that can be carried, including two laptops, a camera, my GPS, two ipods, etc. Every zipper that supports locks has a TSA lock on them. And they all alert if they've been opened. It's worth the $7 investment (each).

So - recap. All weapon related EDC stuff in a TSA locked case, in a TSA locked suitcase. Never a problem. I expected a problem once when the guy saw the 1/2 dozen knives, and the multitools, and nearly 100 rounds of ammo in one suitcase. Nope. He checked the three Glocks to verify they met requirements, locked it back up, and put it on the conveyor.

[snidera]

My home airport is small, I'm on a first name basis with most of the TSA screeners and AA counter people. No problems there. Big airports are a PITA though. For the annoyance and time required, USA airport security is useless. Mexico and Australia are much more sensible about what hoops you have to jump through, and are about as effective. Bags only get opened in front of you, you dont have to get 90% naked to go through a metal detector, etc. That said, 250K miles over the last 3 years and the only lost items are from Delta sending my bags on multiple cross-country journeys for no good reason. Knock on wood.