Ropes taken from checked luggage

While traveling home from lofoten norway today to the usa, the TSA took 4 lockers from my carry on while the person behind me passed one through with their keys on it. The pain got worse when we got home and found that our 2, 60m ropes had been removed from our checked luggage and a security message in their place. I am furious.

What did the security message say? Was the note specific to your situation or just a generic, standard issue "we looked through your stuff" note? I probably would have argued with them about the lockers....can I talk to your supervisor etc.

Sorry man.

The TSA in Bogota, Colombia took my 60m Sterling and threatened to take my entire rack! All was in carry on as that is suppose to be completely legal. Got away with most of my gear.

My friend came from Kentucky to Missoula and had all his climbing gear taken from his checked luggage.

Fucked up, sorry to hear it, Rob!

I wonder if it was the TSA that took Bob D's rope in Boulder, hmmmm

Just got back from two weeks climbing at the City of Rocks.

My carry-on backpack weighing +/- 40 pounds of climbing gear, shoes, biners, slings, cams, nut tools, harnesses/chalk bag full of chalk, a container of Mammut liquid chalk, etc. up to and including the number 5 camalot went to Salt Lake City and back with not a blink of a TSA eye.

The only question I received was..."what's the highest mountain you've climbed"?

My wife forgot to take her watch off at the TSA check-in and received the whole pat-down and carry-on bag open routine.

I have never had a problem with carrying-on climbing gear on domestic flights or foreign flights.

Go figure.

File a claim with the airline...

You say TSA. Were the ropes stolen at USA customs?

Before 9/11 I flew to Europe and back from LAX with a rope and trad rack in my checked luggage, no problems. After 9/11 I've had a camera (which I stupidly left in a suitcase) and a custom made $200 hunting knife stolen by the TSA goons, both on domestic flights. The knife was stolen from my checked luggage AFTER the TSA inspected my suitcase in front of me and allowed me to lock the suitcase. The lock was cut when I arrived home.

Those who are willing to sacrifice liberty in the name of safety deserve neither. Also, the terrorists won.

You can file a claim with the TSA and/or airline when stuff gets stolen from checked bags. (It's never clear to me whether it is the TSA or baggage handlers that are more likely to be responsible.) While this is a pain and you might not get anything, if enough people file claims one would hope they can use the information to figure out which airports/terminals/shifts have the most thefts and crack down on it.