TSA searching checked bags - question

[delmar411]

For whatever reason TSA decided to search all of our checked luggage on the way home from WDW. I don't know why as there were only clothes in them and there is no way that set off anything to be searched. Anyway, in opening the bags and doing who knows what with them, they ruined 3 of my shirts. There is something oil-ish all over the front of them. There is nothing stained in the bags and no one else's clothes got this stuff on them (thankfully!) but is there anyway I can file a complaint with TSA? There was no reason to even open our bags, an xray machine can see it's just clothes and if they felt the need to unpack every bag then nothing should have been dirtied or ruined.

 

[Brian Noble]

This is probably a starting point:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/customer/claims/index.shtm

 

[delmar411]

This is probably a starting point:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/customer/claims/index.shtm

Thanks!

 

[seashoreCM]

For whatever reason TSA decided to search all of our checked luggage on the way home from WDW. I don't know why as there were only clothes in them and there is no way that set off anything to be searched. Anyway, in opening the bags and doing who knows what with them, they ruined 3 of my shirts. There is something oil-ish all over the front of them.

Did TSA put a notice in the suitcase saying they searched it?

Or could the suitcase have fallen open by itself, and the contents fell all over the floor?

If you have one of those Samsonites with corner latches that lift up at an angle, you might as well retire it. Those latches sometimes pop open when the suitcase is just jarred a little.

 

[delmar411]

Did TSA put a notice in the suitcase saying they searched it?

Or could the suitcase have fallen open by itself, and the contents fell all over the floor?

If you have one of those Samsonites with corner latches that pop out at an angle, you might as well retire it. The latches sometimes pop open when the suitcase is just jarred a little.

Yes, every bag was tagged with the TSA search notice. And they are zippered bags not latches so no way to pop open. Every single zipper compartment was open as well other than the main one and they broke the zipper off the compartment that holds the handle one of the big suitcases. It not the end of the world that the zipper was broken off or that all the zipper compartments were still open but the ruined shirts is kind of a big deal to me.

ETA~ we checked them through RAC on the morning of our flight. Not at the airport.

 

[Huff]

TSA will open up carry on if for some reason they could not identify an item on the xray screen. For checked bags TSA will randomly ask passengers to open their luggage for them while they do a search. TSA may also open checked luggage at random times after you've checked them. In that case they leave a note stating they did so. We've had all cases done at one time or another.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

I guess you have already tried washing the shirts, if you haven't dried them(that may set the stain), try using dish soap on the stains. Dawn works well, but I imagine since dish soap is made to dissolve grease any brand should work.

 

[delmar411]

I guess you have already tried washing the shirts, if you haven't dried them(that may set the stain), try using dish soap on the stains. Dawn works well, but I imagine since dish soap is made to dissolve grease any brand should work.

I did already wash them, I tried stain remover but that didn't work. I'll try Dawn directly on the stains. Thanks for the tip!

 

[TwiddleDeeTwiddleDum]

Drycleaning may remove the oil - it is not a water based cleaning process. Good luck!

 

[Lisha1979]

Oh No! That stinks!! I hope you can get the icky out.
We had a bag searched as well. They picked the luggage that had all of the dirty clothes in it. None were folded or anything, just stuffed all crazy like. I kinda giggled that they picked that bag to check.

 

[Taja]

Something else to try on grease-based stains is Simple Green. As with other options, be sure not to put items in the dryer before trying it.

Sorry this happened to you. Makes me very glad I pack everything in compression bags!

 

[StregaNona]

To the OP, I hope you get your shirts clean.

Oh No! That stinks!! I hope you can get the icky out. We had a bag searched as well. They picked the luggage that had all of the dirty clothes in it. None were folded or anything, just stuffed all crazy like. I kinda giggled that they picked that bag to check.

One time on a return home from MCO, we checked two bags. TSA searched our dirty clothes bag, too. I got a good laugh from that one !