Help for my Mom...

[NoahsMommy]

My mom has a problem. Does anyone have any ideas or know of anyone that this has happened to?? (FYI, my mom was in Florida, beginning in October, to help with all the insurance claims from the hurricanes.)

She was working up until 10:00 p.m. on her last day in Florida, with a 9:00 a.m. flight the next morning out of Pensacola. After a horrible sixty day service in Florida, she couldn’t wait to get home. When she was about to board the plane, she was stopped by air officials because she had matches and a hair comb with a sharp point in her carry on luggage. (She had matches to light candles in her apartment...she was there for 60 days and bought bed linens, towels, a bathmat, candles and holiday decorations to make her place more homey.) She threw them in there last minute before leaving the apartment she was staying in the morning of her flight. Like most people, they don’t seem like a threat, but in this day and age, they unfortunately are a huge threat and considered undeclared dangerous/hazardous goods. She had thought when she told the officials why they were in her carry on, and to throw them away, she was free and clear.

This Saturday, she picked up a certified letter from a special agent with the FAA. She’s going to be investigated. After speaking with the author of the letter, a special agent, this is serious. She is being asked to send them copies of her baggage tags, a description of actions to be implemented to prevent further incidents of this type and a hazardous material training program. She’s going to be consulting a lawyer, but only has 15 days from Saturday to plead her case. She faces huge fines and who knows what else.

Does anyone have any advice for her? She's just like me, so you all know she's not a 'terrorist'. She's consulting her lawyer this week.

Poor thing. She's really worried.

[gini]

Kelly, something just doesn't sound right here.

Not to say this cannot happen, but I certainly have never heard of anything like this before.

Does your Mom work for an insurance company or is she freelance? The insurance company she works for must have a legal department that could help her as well.

I just read that they have JUST banned butane lighters to be carried on flights..............but it didn't mention matches.

I guess I am seriously questioning the source of the letter and its authenticity. It sure sounds extreme.

If all is true, getting a lawyer sounds like the next important step.
I also think I might ask the airline that she traveled. But I don't think your Mom should turn over ANYTHING directly or have her contact them directly. Have her lawyer deal directly with them.

Sorry, I guess I am just suspicious in this day and age.

I hope all turns out alright for her.

Also, if it was such a serious offense, why didn't they do something about it right then, instead of contacting her now?

[Cincy'sMom]

I have to agree with Gini...something doesn't seem to add up. Why wait until after she has flown to be so concerned?

If they want to use it as training for their employees, that is one thing...but why the crimanls chagres? Doesn't make much sense to me!

Best wishes to your mom. I hope she is able to get this cleared up relatively easily.

[captain]

I too agree with Gini.

Perhaps get a lawyer to phone the number listed on the letter, and do some checking.

Send them NOTHING! I mean, they told her to throw away the items, and she did. If they had taken them and kept them with her name, etc STRAIGHT AWAY, I would be concerned. But they didn't.

Doesn't sound right!

[Tonya]

That is insane! I am sure that your mother isn't the only person that has made that kind of mistake. I would like to think that they have to take all things seriously sp they are investigating her, but that it'll be dismissed. I wish her well.

[kimlovescats]

Glad I never fly ... no telling what trouble I would get into, because I have no idea of the rules.... well other than guns, and knives and drugs .... of course! Gosh, Kelly this sounds very EXTREME to me too .... I hope she can get her company to help her out ... she should NOT have to be going through this bull!

[Cookiebaker]

I agree, too, that this sounds a bit extreme. Because every day, THOUSANDS of people fly, and everyday, people have items they didn't realize were no-no's. My understanding is that they either throw all the things away or sell them for profit But I don't think they keep track, and then investigate/interrogate. I would be very cautious.

[ramanth]

YIKES! I don't have any advice and I hope that whole fiasco can be sorted out.

My parents and some friends just got back from Hawaii. On the plane trip out, Dawn was told her bag was too heavy. So she grabbed some stuff out of it and tossed it into her carry-on.

Unfortunately she grabbed her kit that had scissors in it. When they went thru security, they saw the scissors in her bag and dumped it out and she was 'stripped' searched.

They let her board the plane but they confinscated the scissors.

If she receives a letter...I'll let you know.

[pitc9]

OMG!! I hope everything turns out okay!
I can only imagine how worried and scared she has to be!!

[Laura's Babies]

Gee whiz! I have to fly now and then to catch a boat far away... Reckon I will tell the company NO MORE FLYING from now on! Maybe all we should carry is our ID and food money in our pockets?

That does seem awfully extreem to me. It is like locking the barn door AFTER the horse has gotten out! WHAT are they THINKING?

Hay STUPID, you investigate the terriost BEFORE they fly, NOT after!! (not meaning your Mom but it makes you wonder how many they are LETTING fly and investigate later) Geez, this is SOoooooo stupid! Your poor Mom!

[Logan]

I'm not believing this, Kelly. And who keeps their baggage tags once their baggage has been retrieved??? I hope you will keep us posted on what happens. I've never heard of anything so crazy. What airport was she in when this happened, Orlando?

[Cataholic]

Kelly,
Make sure she contacts an attorney that might have a slight clue as to what is involved here....I can tell you, this isn't covered in any law school class I took.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

To me it all seems quite extreme too, and I agree, who keeps baggage tags? I would definitely consult a lawyer, but I would also be very upfront about everything. She has nothing to hide and once they start this "investigation" they will find that out and realize what idiots they've been. My question is, why are they wasting "our" hard earned tax money on somebody like your mother when there are real terrorists out there?

Good luck to her.

[NoahsMommy]

Thank you all for your advice. I called my mom after reading here and told her to call and meet with her lawyer today and to put it in his hands.

She was waiting on State Farm (she's a claim rep for them) and I wont say they're dragging their feet, but she's been told management is in a 4 day meeting this week. Kind of annoying when she only has 15 days from Saturday. And, with a large company like SF, you'd think they'd want to get this figured out. If she was a terrorist, that'd be pretty bad for business, wouldn't you think??

P.S. She was flying from the Pensacola, FL airport to Chicago for a connecting flight to Los Angeles.

[gini]

Kelly - if State Farm knew that THEIR name might be badgered around as harboring a terrorist...............or something like this might hit the newspapers......you cannot believe how fast MANAGEMENT could get out of their meeting.

There is more going on here than meets the eye and I think your Mom is just the scapegoat. Maybe someone in Pensacola didn't get the amount of money from a claim that they wanted............and this is their revenge.