Customs damaged a case

[paul357]

My mother is in florida at the moment and texted me to say that when she collected her case at the other end it had been opened by customs (I don't know which customs yet) and they had broken the zip cutting the lock off.

The case had been duct taped back together and there was a note inside from customs to say it had been opened by them.

Are they liable for the damage of does she have to foot the bill for a new case?

[florida4sun]

We just claimed through the airline, they took the case away and repaired it like new, or of course there is your travel insurance. Although I am pretty sure you are supposed to use a particular type of lock that customs can open.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by paul357
My mother is in florida at the moment and texted me to say that when she collected her case at the other end it had been opened by customs (I don't know which customs yet) and they had broken the zip cutting the lock off.

The case had been duct taped back together and there was a note inside from customs to say it had been opened by them.

Are they liable for the damage of does she have to foot the bill for a new case?
[/quote]

[Lynnes]

We once got home and on opening one of our suitcases there was a note in from US customs saying they had opened it. We never lock our cases to the US so no damage done.

[CERICROWLEY]

You will have to try and claim of either the airline or your travel insurance, as customs will accept no responsibility for damage to your case, if the case is locked and they have to break it open to check. You are usually informed that you should either have TSA approved locks that they can open or you do not lock the case.

sorry, but they do have the right to open the case, by any means necessary, and they will secure the case after, but if there is anything missing you must inform them.

[Mo Green]

Earlier this year one of our cases was damaged somewhere in transit. It looked as if it had been dropped from a height on to a corner damaging the teeth so the only way in was to cut the zip. We took a photograph of the case and emailed it to the airline company who said they would not repair it but would replace it with a new black suitcase. As it was one of a pair in a fairly unusual colour we asked if we could replace it ourselves and they agreed to refund the cost.

We have used the approved TSA locks in the past but they never seem to be replaced after opening. We now use plastic cable ties leaving a spare one on top of the case.

Mo

[Sniff]

I always use the TSA locks, and my cases have been opened a couple of times, but always relocked and a note left inside saying they have been inspected.

It's well known that TSA have the authority to open cases if they wish, even if they are locked, so I doubt that your travel insurance or airline would consider this to be covered by them. Unless you claim it was really broken by the baggage handlers

[steph_goodrum]

We use the cable ties and in the past when our case has been inspected it has always been replaced with a blue one by Customs and a note left inside.

[Jill]

Tropuble with TSA locks (hubby is a great fan of them) is if they open the case they do not always put them back on so far we have lost 4 locks this way. I would prefer it if we could use the cable ties as it would work out cheaper.

[mfairhurst]

We have had a case opened twice it was my husbands and there was a card in from the US customs it said it on top of the card ,We bought locks that they can open and not broken these the old locks they just cut them of but did no damage , With insurance it is some times not worth claiming as the ess is more than the case costs and there was nothing missing .
There is some cheap cases in the stores as the sales is on in FLORIDA at the moment .
MAUREEN
www.onlinefloridavillas.com/villas/1683.aspx

[Clare R]

I think there is a stash of TSA locks somewhere in America as I have given up using them, they are not replaced. I use cable ties and they seem to work OK.