STOLEN CAMERA

STOLEN CAMERA
Originally uploaded by cudmore.

I just had a $1000 camera 'pilfered' from my baggage while traveling with American Airlines (AA). I arrived in Tucson AZ on Saturday October 7 (2006), flying from Paris (CDG) with a layover in Chicago O'Hare. On arriving at my destination and opening my bag, I immediately noticed my bag was not packed the way I had packed it. My $1000 camera, a $60 camera bag, and a $100 pair of prescription sunglasses were STOLEN.

Phoning the Tucson baggage services was useless, AA does nothing for 'pilfered items' and only handles lost baggage cases. If my bag had gone missing they would reimburse me $2800 with seemingly little hassle. I phoned the AA toll free number and got the same response, ‘NOT RESPONSIBLE’. My problem is, my bag arrived after being 'pilfered' and what was left in the bag is of basically no value.

I am in the process of understanding the maze of paperwork and how to file a complaint with AA, the TSA, and I am filing a police report in the city of Tucson. This is a THEFT, a CRIMINAL act.

The AA phone representatives have tried to explain that checked baggage ‘goes through a lot of hands’ and they cannot be responsible for items ‘pilfered’ (e.g. STOLEN). Aside from my current sorrow and headache, I want to make one other point.

If a baggage handler is able to pilfer/steal a large camera with a bag and is able to remove it undetected from the secure baggage handling area, how long before the same handler puts something INTO a bag? How long before the baggage handler, who is presumably STEALING for monetary gain, will accept a BRIBE and put something into a bag. Something like a bomb?

So the net time you are being frisked at the security checkpoints. Don’t feel safe, think about what is going on underneath you in the ‘authorized personnel only’ areas. Is someone ‘pilfering’ your bag, or maybe jeopardizing the safety of every person on board by exploiting an unacceptable internal baggage security system? If you work for an airline and/or have friends that fly on planes, are they safe? Does this flawed system make you happy?

Does the following questions you are repeatedly asked really mean you and your fellow passengers and crew are safe? “Has anyone unknown to you given you something that you are bringing aboard the aircraft? and Has your luggage been in your possession at all times since you packed it?”

MEANINGLESS questions.

Happy flying,

Robert (no camera) Cudmore