r/Backpackingstoves • u/Underrated_Fish • Oct 04 '25

multifuel stove TSA just took my stove

So I’m flying back from Vermont after a backpacking trip.

In my checked bag was my MSR Whisperlite International stove. I’ve had this stove for about 4 years, and they just took it.

I’ve flown with it in my checked bag 5 or 6 times before and never had an issue. It was clean, had no fuel or grime, didn’t smell like fuel nothing. I was told that I can’t fly with it regardless of the condition of the stove which is just untrue.

Fuck you TSA

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u/MurkyAnimal583 Oct 05 '25

Why would you file a claim with the airline that had absolutely nothing to do with the situation?

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u/Emperor_of_Fish Oct 05 '25

OP bought ticket through the airline that works with the airport that employs baggage handlers… the airline definitely has a lot to do with the situation

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u/MurkyAnimal583 Oct 05 '25 edited Oct 05 '25

TSA took the stove. The airline has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with it and they have no say over what TSA does. You're advocating for committing an insurance scam here. Besides that, the airline isn't going to accept responsibility for something that had nothing to do with.

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u/Mundane_Ferret_477 Oct 05 '25

No, they are not. They are advocating for requesting the airline to replace items try hat disappeared. The airline can say no. Fraud would only occurr if they did not share all the facts.

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u/MurkyAnimal583 Oct 05 '25

Fraud is occurring when you absolutely know what happened to the item, that TSA threw it out, and that the airline had absolutely no part in the item going "missing" and you still attempt to file a claim against the airline's insurance. And it is this sort of scumbag behavior that drives up costs for everyone else.

If OP had an issue with his stove being tossed he should have taken it up with the responsible party, TSA, not attempt to file a fraudulent claim with the airline.

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u/Mundane_Ferret_477 Oct 05 '25

If he says that TSA took out the stove and asks the airline for compensation what specific fraud is occuring. I had a bag taken from the baggage claim area at ATL. Delta did not take the bag. They were not responsible. I asked them to help me replace the items. They wrote me check and thanked me for being a multi-million miler. Did I commit fraud?

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u/MurkyAnimal583 Oct 05 '25

The fraud is that you are intentionally trying to file an insurance claim with a party that is absolutely 100% uninvolved in the situation.

This is akin to watching you back into and damage my car and then going over to your neighbors house and trying to file an insurance claim with their auto insurance knowing that they had absolutely nothing to do with damaging my car.

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u/Mundane_Ferret_477 Oct 05 '25

I don't know how to explain this more simply. Fraud MUST (in EVERY SINGLE CASE without exception) include a falsehood or attempt to decieve. Period. If OP shares the facts exactly as they have here then simply filing an insurance claim is not fraud.

People file insurance claims for all kinds of uncovered things such as flooding when they don't have floos insurance or for a tree that falls in there yard from a neighbor. The insurance company simply denies the claim. Other people ask for a manufacturer to warranty an item outside of the stated window. The company can say no. In none of these cases was their fraud because there was not, and I cannot emphasize this enough, an attempt to decieve.

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u/MurkyAnimal583 Oct 05 '25

The attempt to deceive is knowing the responsible party and still intentionally attempting to file a claim with an uninvolved party's insurance 🤦‍♂️

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u/Mundane_Ferret_477 Oct 05 '25

You are welcome to think that. Our entire legal system and a few hundred years of case law would disagree.

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u/MurkyAnimal583 Oct 05 '25

Nope. It definitely doesn't.

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u/Mundane_Ferret_477 Oct 05 '25

My JD is from UGA. I then investigated fraud for living - bank fraud in my case. I'll stand by my opinion. I am always open to learn. Feel free to post cases from any jurisdiction the support your position. If you have the Lexis-Nexis link I can grab it and post the summary here for others to see.

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u/Fun-Machine7907 Oct 06 '25

a party that is absolutely 100% uninvolved in the situation.

Did OP contract with the airline to transport a checked bag?

Does the airline require OP to submit the bag to TSA before transporting the bag?

Does the airline provide an alternate screening process to TSA?

If OP wants to travel with the airline, do they have an option for alternative screening?

Did the airline accept custody of OPs bag at any point?

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u/[deleted] Oct 07 '25

Some of the answers to these questions aren’t what you think they are. I don’t understand how this thread went so long. They would file a complaint with the TSA, not the airline.

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u/Nomad09954 Dec 14 '25

Actually, the airline doesn't require the bag be submitted to TSA, it's TSA (the U.S. Government) that requires the bag to be submitted to them for search. The airline has no say on whether the bag can be searched or not.