As I described in an earlier post here, back in May I traveled from Maine to Atlanta for my younger grandson's 6th birthday. I flew on Delta and did not plan to check my bag (for which there's a $25 fee). In fact, some 18 months before I purchased this bag on amazon.com specifically because it fits under an airplane seat and holds an unbelievable amount given its size.
I put the bag up on the belt to go through TSA's x-ray machine along with my backpack, shoes, etc., and went through myself. At the other side, everything came out of the x-ray except this bag. I waited. I saw them take the bag off the conveyor and put it aside. I waited. Eventually the bag was handed to a TSA agent who had just finished hand-searching through someone else's bag. I figured it was just a random thing.
I came over and said it was my bag. The agent said he had to go through it, it appeared there was something "metallic" in it. The bag has metal bars running through the back that lift out for a handle and I figured it was that. Anyway, I was fine with him hand-searching it. He began going through it. He had to take everything out, and still found nothing. I pointed out that the nylon liner has a zipper he could unzip to get to the actual case. He did that. He still found nothing inside the bag. Then he explained that there appeared to be something wedged in the actual outside "skin" of the bag. He showed me a slight lump that you could feel with your hand. It was definitely there. Then he showed me the actual x-ray. On the x-ray it clearly appeared that there was some sort of knife - possibly like a box-cutter or exacto knife actually wedged between the 2-layers of the bag's "skin." But unless you cut through the "skin," you couldn't actually get to the "knife."
He called over a supervisor. They went through the whole thing again. The supervisor said he had seen this type of thing once before, with an LL Bean bag - apparently a worker had dropped some sort of tool into the half-made bag during production and the tool had been sealed inside the bag. I offered to let them cut it out but they didn't want to harm the bag. In the end, the supervisor let me travel with the bag. He said since he couldn't get to the "knife," he didn't think anyone else could either during the flight.
Once in Atlanta I considered cutting the bag "skin" to get to the "knife" but decided I wanted to be able to return it for a replacement under a warranty claim. However, I had to fly back from Atlanta to Maine and I had no confidence that TSA in a crowded busy airport like Atlanta would take the time to see what was what and let me take the bag on the plane. So I paid $25 to check it.
When I got back to Maine I contacted amazon.com who referred me to the manufacturer, Travelon. I called them and explained the situation. A knife inside of a bag specifically advertised for its ability to be carried onto airplanes! The company rep sent me an email detailing the information they needed to process the warranty claim. I also offered to send back the defective bag, and they sent me a label to do that. Lo and behold - a week or so later, I received a new bag. As far as I can tell, it doesn't include a spare "knife."
A couple of weeks later, my beloved Stanley travel mug (which I use every single day to carry coffee on my morning walks with Ella) let me down - the flip top that closes the screw-on lid broke off - and embolden by my first successful warranty claim, I contacted Stanley, sent them the information they needed, and lo and behold - a new screw on top for my mug appeared in the mail.
Who knew that there still exist companies that stand by their products? How much longer will this be true?
Peace.
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