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Podolsky · Jun 30, 2004, 03:15 PM

Airport security dropped my powerbook in Moncton Ontario Canada and did $600US worth of damage to the case. I have gotten it fixed and sent the receipt to the security company who dropped but they have not done anything and it has been over one month. I would welcome ideas of how to get them to own up and repay me. I know it is on the video tape and I they did not deny that they did it. but, still nothing has happened. I was in Canada as a guest speaker to their government and I could play that card but haven't yet. I have been being very nice about that whole matter and I hope that isn't my problem.

Sincerly,

Out $600

djohnson · Jun 30, 2004, 03:17 PM

Try calling the company and explaining what has happened. I would have gotten it in writing that they will repair/replace the computer, but that is just me. Let us know how it goes.

diskgolfking · Jun 30, 2004, 03:50 PM

Send them an invoice. Then, if they do not respond, send them another invoice threatening legal action. Then proceed to legal action. This can be covered in small claims court in the US but I don't know how it works in canada.

Podolsky · Jun 30, 2004, 03:59 PM

Oh, I called them right away and sent them 2 quotes for repairs and than the final paid invoice for the repair which was done by Apple. They keep sending me higher levels. First, I spoke to the folks at the Airport who sent me their regional manager in Ottowa who is saying that she has to hear from her boss......She did say that it was in a sleeve when it was dropped which it was. But it fell right on the corner where the zipper is and hence no protection and bang......

I will keep you posted. I don't think $600 dollars worth of damage is enough to get a lawyer over.....

SupahCoolX · Jun 30, 2004, 06:59 PM

You might also be able to get some help through the Better Business Bureau. I don't how how the fact that it happened in Canada might affect you, but it's worth looking into.

TailsToo · Jun 30, 2004, 07:06 PM

Wow!!! At least here in the states they just run laptops through the x-ray and dont' handle laptops at all!

Kenstee · Jun 30, 2004, 07:34 PM

Originally posted by TailsToo:
Wow!!! At least here in the states they just run laptops through the x-ray and dont' handle laptops at all!

Not true at all. I guess you don't travel that much. On a random basis they will ask you for your laptop and hand carry it to a machine which can detect explosives. First, they wipe the laptop with a swatch of cloth then put the cloth into the machine which can detect explosive residue. So, my friends, they definitely handle laptops! And I watch them like a hawk when they have mine. I suggest you do the same

Podolsky · Jun 30, 2004, 08:06 PM

In my case the knocked my Powerbook to the floor while examing my carry-on bag. The examiner took my bag and turned it to open it and in the process or rotating the carry-on bag the examiner knocked the Powerbook on the floor.

It was a total accident but, fess up and treat people honestly!

d.fine · Jul 1, 2004, 03:58 AM

You have to get in their faces, keep calling, and let them go higher and higher in the chain of command, and when you do get the person you need to talk to on the line, very calmly and politely explain what happened, and you will very likely be rewarded ! Good Luck

jbirdski · Jul 1, 2004, 05:33 PM

Airport security broke my PowerBook too!!!

A few weeks ago, I flew out of the Boston airport with my one-month-old 15" PowerBook. When going through the security checkpoint, I made the mistake of placing a fabric sleeve case under my laptop (both in the plastic screening bin). A security guard grabbed my laptop, threw the sleeve case on the floor, then proceeded to drop my computer at least three or four inches into the plastic bin. This was no accident; the woman held the PowerBook in both hands over the bin then just let go! She didn't even ask my permission before tossing my poor computer around...

Upon arriving in California, I found that my PowerBook no longer booted, even into single-user mode. I visited the Apple Store in Palo Alto, CA, where we determined that the hard drive had been damaged at the airport. The resident Genius said they'd seen quite a few PowerBook-denting-by-airport-screeners incidents recently. Apparently, if you make a stink, you can get valuable items hand checked rather than play roulette with the conveyer belt process.

So with my data backups in Boston, I was stuck without a working computer during my trip, which was extremely inconvenient. Even worse, it took me about ten hours to repair my hard drive and restore my data when I returned. (I didn't have a current backup, so I had to retrieve as much data as possible from the damaged drive, zero it, restore from an old backup, perform software updates, then incorporate my new data...) Lesson learned: always back up your data before traveling!

Anyway, I've been trying to get some compensation for damaging my PowerBook. First I complained to the airline but found that all screening is handled by federal Transportation Security Administration employees. Complained to the TSA and received "sincere apologies for the discomfort [I] experienced". Lovely. My complaint was forwarded to customer service at the Boston airport and I'm now waiting to hear from them. I doubt I'll get any sort of compensation though, especially since I didn't get my PowerBook repaired professionally. We'll see...

Good luck getting your $600 back, Podolsky!!

RageAPC · Jul 2, 2004, 11:39 PM

Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. Sorry, just bothers me when the east coast gets lumped in with upper Canada.

I actually had the same experience at the Moncton airport about a month ago when flying to Montreal, although my PB thankfully wasn't damaged. I was pretty short with the security person though so I'll have to watch my PB the next time I go through like a hawk. Hope you get it all sorted out.

iluvmypowerbook · Jul 3, 2004, 05:31 AM

Wow!

I travel a couple of times a year and have never had this happen to me. No-one has ever handled my pBook or it's case. But then the last time I went to the US I didn't have my pBook with me. I'll have to keep an eye on them there by the sounds of it.

Personally I think you should both pursue compensation from these careless people. I wonder how they would feel if they had this happen to them? There's simply no excuse for their actions whether accidental or not.

Don't give up, keep harassing them over this

Love Calm Quiet · Jul 3, 2004, 10:22 PM

Just had my PB "inspected" at a U.S. airport. I'm sure the guy has never *used* a laptop - other than to dust it for explosives - but at least he picked it up with two hands. They probably have no idea what they cost

kafoochy · Jul 6, 2004, 12:41 PM

Do you have any friends that are lawyers? I've managed to have a friend call and threaten legal action to get things done, in very similar situations where I thought that people just weren't listening to me. My other suggestion is start at the top instead of the bottom. It sounds like you've talked with the people at the airport, then went up to a regional manger or something. Do what some Apple customers do when things aren't going the way they should: call the president's office and the office of public relations. It would be easy to threaten the PR people; they hate the bad press. On that same note, I'm not exactly sure how it works in Canada, but try and see if there is the equivalent of an Attorney General or chamber of commerce as well as local newspapers. Make as much noise as you can and make sure that everyone knows about it! It may sound like a lot, but an afternoon of emails, internet research and very pointed telephone calls to the right people and enough of them, may help your cause. Goodluck!

Link · Jul 6, 2004, 03:22 PM

As much as I like the current line of powerbooks, and even though I'm highly contemplating buying one VERY SOON threads like this make me sigh..

A drop from 6" to a tray shouldn't break ANY laptop. Most glass and crystal decorations/plates/whatnot don't break that easily.

Good riddance, apple.

kafoochy · Jul 6, 2004, 03:39 PM

Originally posted by Link:
As much as I like the current line of powerbooks, and even though I'm highly contemplating buying one VERY SOON threads like this make me sigh..

A drop from 6" to a tray shouldn't break ANY laptop. Most glass and crystal decorations/plates/whatnot don't break that easily.

Good riddance, apple.

I wish the powerbooks were more durable (IBM T40-T42 rugged, light and powerful) but I recently pulled my 1.5Ghz 15" off my bed recently by accident and besides a scuff, was still in perfect working condition. I've done worse to my mom's old G3 Pismo, but then I was able to pop the plastic back in place! I wish the Powerbooks were more durable, but there are so many positives about them, and this situation sounds very rare. Also it sounds like the brunt, if not all of the damage was done to the hard drive and thus wasn't really even Apple's fault. IBM's Active Protection System, may have prevent this from happening, but IBM's the only one that's got it and only has it on select systems. This same hard drive damage could and would probably happen on any Dell, Toshiba, HP, Gateway, etc.... (although Dell's CompleteCare is an excellent and cheaper alternative to AppleCare)

Link · Jul 6, 2004, 03:49 PM

Oh there's no doubt the HD damage can happen to anyone, and especially in that case it was probably due to a defective part not holding up very well. It's not very usual for laptop drives to break that easily, especially when off, since they're built to take some abuse.

xi_hyperon · Jul 6, 2004, 03:59 PM

Originally posted by Link:
A drop from 6" to a tray shouldn't break ANY laptop.

I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to disagree with you on that one. Dropping a laptop 6" onto a hard surface shouldn't damage it? I'm willing to bet that most laptops dropped at that height would suffer some damage, internally or externally, however minor it might be.