Airport security and my daughter

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Lennyjoe

Lennyjoe

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Southwestern Ohio
So here's the story....

My daughter went with her DECA business class from High School to visit New York City for a week. She found me a nice belt buckle that was shaped like a Glock. Bought it for $35 bucks for her pops who she knows is a gun nut. As she was going thru security at the Newark Airport they searched her backpack and seen the buckle. It was still attached to the belt and she explained that it was mearly a buckle and it was for me.

Well.......they confiscated it and told her that she couldnt have it back. Told her the reason why was cause it would scare the passengers if she pulled the belt out on the plane. My daughter told them that it was only a buckle and not a gun. So, says the security folks. So the daughter asked how to get it back and they told her no dice, they were gonna discard it and she cant have it back. Wont send it to her either.

The daughter told them it was BS and the gal there says, "Dont you know where you are and what happened on Sept 11"? Of course said the daughter, and guns had nothing to do with it and besides, its only a damn buckle.

Folks still told her she cant have it back and if she persists to argue they will call the police.

The question is, anyone got any contact numbers or address's so I can file a complaint and see if I can obtain at least the cost of the buckle back.

Truely unbelievable. :cuss:
 
Does anyone know if employment by TSA gives civil torts protection? I think a few large awards to victimized passengers would change the thinking of TSA and the individual screeners quite a bit.

Jeff
 
"Dont you know where you are and what happened on Sept 11"?
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This lame-??? excuse is nearly as bad as the Zero-Tolerance BS.

So bad that a few weeks ago, Saturday Night Live has a skit concerning the weenies at TSA.

It's not too late to get the person's name and file a civil suit. At least it will cost them time and money.

Rick
 
Sorry your daughter had to endure that, Lennyjoe. I would bet the airport administration office at Tucson could put you in touch with the TSA at the national level or at the airport where this occured. Good luck.
 
Lennyjoe:

I think the reason those jerks at the airport took the belt and buckle was because one of them wanted to take it home. Had they given her a chance she could have mailed it home. Mailing belts and buckles in not illegal. Had she whipped it out on the plane it's highly doubtful that anyone would have been fooled, and besides aren't they're supposed to be armed air-marshals on those flights? Among other things I'd write a letter to Sen. Jon Kyle. Of course you can forget about McCain.
 
This is the reason I refuse to fly. A bunch of low-end, former burger flippers sorting through my bags and questioning not just my motives, but my patriotism.

I tried a few times, but the recent issues (~1 yr ago) where it is nearly mandatory that the belt and shoes come off was too much. Well, to be honest, the whole affair is a joke. Air travel is a priviledge, so they tell me.

Well, I am voting with my wallet. Too bad my vote will not hurt the agency responsible: TSA.

In summary, the goon should be fired. Report him.
 
Belt buckles are not on the restricted list for "carry-on" items. If the belt buckle was clearly too small to be a gun and cannot be mistaken for a gun, the TSA overstepped its authority. Tort is conversion - substantial interference with the chattel of another. Recovery - cost of buckle & consequential damages (filing fees in small claim, time off, parking, process service, postage, etc.). Betcha anything the TSA settles out of court.

I hate the TSA. Federalized security guards who as private individuals could never make over $12 an hour. I'd privatize them and the airports should have on duty 24/7 (or during operating hours) a Security Supervisor to act as overseer. Cheaper for us and the airlines.
 
I tried a few times, but the recent issues (~1 yr ago) where it is nearly mandatory that the belt and shoes come off was too much. Well, to be honest, the whole affair is a joke. Air travel is a priviledge, so they tell me.
Click to expand...

Wear your funkiest old shoes - your privilege. :evil:
 
Wear your funkiest old shoes - your privilege.
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I was noticing the last time I flew, back around September, that the screeners had a definite preference for NEW shoes. Or at least those that appeared new.

And if I wanted to get really specific then I would say that (nearly) new, white, high-top, baskeball shoes were the number one "selected" shoe by a large margin.
 
Must be b/c they read that was what Richard Reid was wearing. Don't think outside the box folks. :rolleyes:
 
Personally if someone is trying to screw me the way these guys tried to screw your daughter and they were kind enough to OFFER to call the police for me then i would have been quite happy not to have to call them myself. TSA people may tend to be over officious and mindless of the regulations that they are tasked to enforce. But airport cops are the same generally reasonable peopel that they have always been. And if you think that YOUR sick of these TSA morons think about how the cops feel having to deal with them every day. I think not allowing her to have it back in order to send it to herself was a direct violation of TSA policy anyways.
 
Take the belt back and walk over to the nearest bathroom and dispose of it if they want it that bad, let'em dig for it... I've done this with cigarette lighters that some bozo wanted...
 
I remember reading about one guy (TFL'er?) that wanted to get on a plane pre-9/11 and the guard wouldnt let him carry his <3" folding knife (totally legal at the time) on the plane. The poster figured out that the rent-a-cop just wanted his knife, so he shoved the blade between two hard objects and snapped the blade off. He then handed the blade to the rent-a-cop and got on the plane with the handle.

I think the manufacturer even replaced the whole knife when they heard the story, but I could be wrong.

Kharn
 
Checked luggage.
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Would of been possible to put in in there had she had her luggage. But it was already checked in.

I will make a visit today to the Tucson airport to get contact numbers to send the complaint or even a request for payment of lost item. Should that not work, small claims court will be the next step.
 
They are supposed to give passengers the opportunity to go back into the unsecured area and mail the "contraband" home. If they did not give this opportunity, they were in the wrong. This was theft under color of law and I would have gotten the person's name and filed a suit against them personally.

In the absence of this, she should have asked to see a supervisor.
 
If it were my teenaged daughter, I'd be glad all they "wanted" was the belt.

We've all heard that young female passengers seem to get selected for more personal "searches" an inordinate ammount of the time.

So sad.
 
Just wait until they do searchs at roadside check points!

TSA GOON " I'll take this and this" "Oh, you can go now citizen "

It reminds me of a 3rd world nation at Customs. Remember that scene from the movie The Dogs Of War. Thats the TSA!
 
Belt buckles are not on the restricted list for "carry-on" items. If the belt buckle was clearly too small to be a gun and cannot be mistaken for a gun, the TSA overstepped its authority.
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What about he chef who had his frying pan confiscated? Think that was on the list?

TSA is an agency made up or morons pure and simple.

Makes me sick.

When it comes down to roadside inspections of me and my vehicle, we will have reached that certain plateau ... so to speak.

:fire:
 
So the daughter asked how to get it back and they told her no dice, they were gonna discard it and she cant have it back.
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Easily intimidated high school girl + neat belt buckle = stocking stuffer for TSA employee. Her loss will probably brighten some underpaid Federal employee's Christmas morning.
 
Just heard on the radio that TSA is having to lay off 6000 security people due to budget problems.

When my wife and I flew to NYC several months ago, I made sure my carry-on was equipped as a BOB. I had duct tape, several different types of flashlights, maps, compass, protractor, ballpoint pens, cardboard dowel from my fax machine roll, sanitizing spray, caribiners of several sizes, retracting reel key holder, and two Australian style P-38 can openers with spoon all neatly attached at the factory by plastic wrap to the cardboard.

On the trip over everything passes with out a hitch out of Oakland. The return trip was a bit different. Out of all the potential self defense or holding devices they picked on my $1.19 P-38s. One was in my wifes bag and it passed OK. The very polite female TSA person took one look at the evil sharp edge on the P-38 and said it was not allowed. She called over her supervisor and that worthy took one look and in mock horror stated that,"Sir, look at that edge, that cannot be carried on the plane!" I just shrugged and said well you got my .60 cent can opener. For that very reason I chose not to bring my original issue P-38 from 1956 that I got while aboard a flight from Macguire AFB enroute to my assignment in Germany/ I would have been really upset to have lost that.

BTW, I carry a padded 6 X 9 envelope with 5 each, $1.00 stamps inside. This is to use to mail something back to myself if the TSA dweebs say something in not allowed. Get the name and ID of the person you give it to if you have to give something up. Obviously I was not going to mail back a small brand new P-38.

Let your imagination run wild and figure out what you could do with the items I listed above.

:cool:
 
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