Legal Commentary

My Holiday TSA Experience

By Jonathan H. Adler

This year?s holiday travel was relatively uneventful.  We avoided the blizzard-induced air traffic snarl, and didn?t even see (let alone have to use) a body-image scanner.  The only real problem was the TSA inspection of one checked bag.  It wasn?t anywhere near as bad as what some have endured, but it was annoying nonetheless.

I?ve had checked bags searched by TSA quite a few times.  In the past, I would open my bag to find a small paper notice that the TSA had gone inside my suitcase to investigate one thing or another, but everything arrived intact.  Beyond the occasional mussed shirt, the TSA notice was the only sign of an inspection.  Not this time.  Upon returning home I opened my suitcase and it was a mess.  The contents were upended and switched around.  I presume my toiletry bag contained the item(s) of interest, as it had been on the bottom but was now on top, and nothing else was as it had been packed, let alone neatly folded.  To top it all off, my bag?s zipper was now broken andthere was no TSA notification.

Abandoning the TSA might not improve customer service, but I doubt it would make it any worse.

[Note Edited after initial posting.]

Full post as published by The Volokh Conspiracy on January 03, 2011 (boomark / email).