New York Giants player A.J. Francis is railing against the Transportation Security Administration, alleging agents who conducted an inspection of his checked luggage opened and spilled a container carrying the cremated remains of his recently-deceased mother.
Francis, a defensive tackle who played for the Washington Redskins until earlier this year, shared a photo via Twitter on Monday morning that showed the contents of his luggage after the bag inspection — including loose material that appeared to be cremated remains, along with the generic “notice of baggage inspection” from TSA. The tweet does not say specify where the inspection occurred, and Francis could not immediately be reached for comment.
“Next time you . . . feel the need to go thru my mother’s ashes for no reason,” wrote Francis, 28, “make sure you close it back so her remains aren’t spilled on all my clothes.”
Shortly after Francis tweeted his complaints, he received a reply from TSA’s Twitter accounting, asking for more details about the incident, and offering an apology.
In a public response, Francis made it clear that he does not accept the apology.
A TSA spokeswoman said Monday afternoon that they have not received a direct response from Francis with more information about the incident.
“If Mr. Francis provides us with his flight information, videotape review can help determine what condition the contents of the checked bag were in while it was in TSA’s possession,” the spokeswoman said.
“Videotape would help determine the condition of the contents of the bag at the time a TSA officer opened it; review what steps a TSA officer took upon inspecting it; and determine the condition the contents were in when the TSA officer closed the bag,” the spokesperson added.
According to policies outlined on TSA’s website, security screeners for the agency are instructed never to open cremated remains, either in a carry-on bag or in checked luggage.
“We understand how painful losing a loved one is, and we treat crematory remains with respect,” TSA’s website says.
As part of their instructions to passengers, TSA advises travelers carrying cremated remains put them in a temporary or permanent container that will not flag special scrutiny from bag screeners, such as a canister or capsule made of lightweight wood or plastic. If the container is too opaque and TSA agents cannot see the contents via X-ray, it will not be allowed onboard the plane, TSA’s instructions say.
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Francis has played for the NFL since 2013, when he signed with the Miami Dolphins. Since then, he has played for the New England Patriots, the Seattle Seahawks, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington.
According to Francis’s social media accounts, his mother, Carrie Leanne Francis, died unexpectedly two weeks ago.
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