Agency Supposed To Pay If A Claim Is Filed

A passenger whose laptop computer was broken by Transportation Security Administration guards was reportedly threatened with arrest recently, for complaining about the damage and asking who would pay to repair it.

"I approached the TSA guard who dropped my laptop and I asked him what he was thinking. He didn't even apologize to me. Then I asked him how we could resolve this matter. And he told me that there were too many people waiting to get through the line, and I should move along as not to hold up the screening process," wrote an airline passenger, identified only as "Jake."

"So I asked him again, where can I file a claim to resolve the damage done to my laptop. That's when the supervising TSA guard walked over and told me that I should gather my belongings and move on to the departure terminals and if I create a scene, he would arrest me,"  "Jake" blogged on The Consumerist.com.

Choosing not to make a scene -- and run the risk of getting arrested -- "Jake" gathered his belongings and went to the departure terminal where he asked the information counter to identify the TSA official, and what were his options.

"I told the info lady that he was the one who threatened to arrest me, and that going back would surely result in me missing my flight. She then proceeded to tell me that there weren't any other options in my case."

Upon checking in for his flight he asked the airline official for the TSA Security Supervisors number, the airline obliged... but the number turned out to be no good.

The story has a benign, if not happy, ending. Jake was eventually advised he has a two-year window in which to file a claim with TSA, and may even get reimbursed for his loss within as little as 90 days.

What do you do in a case like this? The TSA recommends filing a claim form, which can be found on the agency's website.

FMI: www.tsa.gov/travelers/customer/claims/forms.shtm