Airline Security Increased today

[caribbean]

FYI-

We flew out of Richmond, VA to NYC this morning. TSA searched both our bags thoroughly. Evidently took everything completely out of the bag and then repacked them poorly. Stuff originally on the bottom was on the top. Clothes taken off the hangers. Nothing missing, just messed all up terribly. Just kind of thrown back in there. This is the first time since 9/11 that they have even opened out bags in Richmond. I have had them checked at other airports, but not at home. So TSA is evidently taking this latest threat seriously. Maybe because we were flying into NYC?? Curious.

[pedro47]

Were the luggage checked bags or carry on bags?
Where everyone bags check in line/boarding the plane checked the same way as your?

[riverdees05]

It took us an hour to get through security at the Denver Airport today. I even had to send a portable DVD player by itself, just like a laptop computer. Different than it was on August 2, when I packed it in my backpack and no questions were asked.

[caribbean]

These were our checked bags. I didn't see anything unusual as far as our carry-on bags. When I got to unpacking in the Affinia, I couldn't help but notice the inside of the bags. Just everything completely turned upside down and just thrown back in. So I have no idea if they did it to all the bags or not. Nothing but clothes and toiletries in the bags. Nothing unusual, nothing we have not taken before. Just guessing they are really taking a much closer look at bags due to the higher alert.

[jadejar]

Coming through the Puerto Vallarta airport last Sunday, everyone had all their checked luggage hand checked before we could go to the ticket counter.

[Linda74]

Pretty typical for Puerto Vallarta, in Mexico they open all suitcases and go through them before you can check them,,,but this is not standard practice n the US>

[SuzanneSLO]

Originally Posted by riverdees05

It took us an hour to get through security at the Denver Airport today. I even had to send a portable DVD player by itself, just like a laptop computer. Different than it was on August 2, when I packed it in my backpack and no questions were asked.

This was a formal change in TSA policy as of Aug 4. All "large" electronics need to be placed in a separate bin. This definitely adds DVD players to laptops for which this was already the policy. At first, some travelers also reported that ipods and cell phones were being classified as "large" electronics, but apparently this is no longer happening on any kind of consistent basis.

-- Suzanne

[sfwilshire]

Originally Posted by caribbean

These were our checked bags. I didn't see anything unusual as far as our carry-on bags. When I got to unpacking in the Affinia, I couldn't help but notice the inside of the bags. Just everything completely turned upside down and just thrown back in. So I have no idea if they did it to all the bags or not. Nothing but clothes and toiletries in the bags. Nothing unusual, nothing we have not taken before. Just guessing they are really taking a much closer look at bags due to the higher alert.

Did you have the slip of paper inside saying that the bag was inspected?

Is it possible that the bag might have popped open in handling? It almost sounds like everything came out accidentally and they just threw it back in. You wouldn't think that would happen on two bags, though.

Sheila

[LUVourMarriotts]

We've had our checked bags inspected a couple of times when flying back home into a NYC airport. This has been over the past 3 or 4 years. After the last time, we decided to buy the TSA compliant locks so they don't snap the locks.

[caribbean]

Hi Sheila-

No accident here. I had TSA locks and both were red and therefore opened. Yes the inspection papers were inside. When my bags have been opened at other airports in the past, they really were not disturbed, just slight shifting. But this was really weird in that it looked like everything was completely taken out of the bag and then put back inside, but not in the original order, and some of the clothes were taken off the hangers. Somebody must have done a real careful check. I'm not upset, so much as I found it unusual and just thought others would like to know. Was also interested to see if other Tuggers were having similar incidents. Guess it may have been an over zealous newbie inspector??

[Pat H]

In the past month I've flown out of Newark, Boston, Allentown, London, Savannah and Dayton. I didn't check any bags but I also didn't notice a more intense screening. On one of my trips out of Allentown, I had a bag with Strawberries & Blueberries that I carried separately. TSA was going to confiscate them not because they were contraband but because they wanted to eat them!

I also had an interesting comment from TSA in Newark. I had a bag with 2 wrapped gifts for my twin granddaughter's baptism. They were Precious Moment crosses to hang over their bed. As they were going through the x-ray, the TSA employee made the remark that every time he sees a cross go through the scanner, it gives him the chills, like it's a bad omen.