Last week when flying out of LAX, I had packed a couple wines in my checked luggage. When I arrived home, I found an inspection notice and that one of my wines was missing! Has this happened to anyone else?
I’ve filed a well-documented claim with TSA, so it’s just a waiting game at this point. I’m more disappointed that I wasn’t able to taste the wine with my wife when coming home (2005 Balgera Valtellina Superiore Sassella).
I have never had a wine lifted by TSA. I do not pack wine in my regular luggage. I have a Pelican wine hard-case carrier, with my business card secured to it, and various airlines have attached their “fragile” signs to it. Oh, they open it, and they leave a formal notification inside that they have done so. I believe the qualification is that each bottle have its own designated space. My pelican has foam inside, with space for 8 bottles secured by the foam. I believe you can use a regular styropack within a cardboard box and not get bothered.
My checked luggage is inspected often. I assume it’s the olive skin, dark thick beard and hair. I’ve even had my beard and hair searched by TSA.
But, I’ve never had wine (or whiskey or beer) removed from my luggage. It’s usually in a tote that I bring empty and then pack in my suitcase. I also have one of the wine check suitcases that holds a case. It’s great if you fly Southwest. No charge for the wine check.
I know someone who unfortunately had a couple pairs of expensive sneakers stolen out of his checked luggage. Can’t assume it’s TSA swiping the bottle, as they’re not responsible for loading it on and off the planes.
I started using TSA locks on my aluminum wine carrier some years ago when they kept cutting my locking devices only to find out TSA agents were NOT the only one’s with universal TSA keys. Assume everyone has access to you bags locked or not.
I mistakenly left some cash in my suitcase, stashed inside a dirty sock, stuffed in a shoe behind other socks and in a bag, for a flight from Amsterdam to L.A. last fall. Gone when I picked up my bag. Some resourceful scavenger punished me for the forgetfulness. It seemed like a deep search for a bag handler, but who knows.
A friend was flying recently and had a cheap bottle of whisky lifted. There was a TSA inspection note inside his luggage but no note of the confiscation. I wonder if they are removing these items because they believe there are improperly packed?