Insider's Airline Travel

Thank You TSA! (no, this is not a typo)

Players: My daughter (and new bride) Erin; checked baggage; TSA agents

Where: Austin Bergstrom Airport

When: October 15, the day after her wedding day

Photo by Cynthia Dial

In route from Austin (through Denver) to San Diego to overnight before she and groom, Ryan, would leave for their Hawaii honeymoon, they realized before arrival that several items were missing from her checked luggage.  Because of the timing I became involved in the endless process: contacting United Airlines, being transferred to baggage claim (trying to figure out how to trick the prompter to speak to a “live” person), completing a lost item report, contacting TSA Austin, calling Austin’s transportation and security manager, then speaking to the Austin Police Department to file a police report, re-contacting United Airlines (trying to figure out how to trick the prompter to speak to a “live” person), then being transferred to its department for baggage resolution—the MVPs of this scenario may surprise you.  Because they were so helpful I’ll name names:  Jamie, Austin Airport TSA lost and found; Nakia, United Airlines representative for baggage resolution and a big shout-out to Ignacio Reyes, Austin Airport transportation and security manager, who went beyond the call of duty by checking the TSA video to determine that though the items were removed from the bag for inspection, they were immediately replaced.  Now, United Airlines, the ball’s in your court.