Can't lock checked suitcases at all when flying??

[Kimberle]

Is this true?

Someone at work told me that her friend was not allowed to lock her suitcase. Apparently "they" need access to them at all times.

Yikes, I don't like this if it's true. Though I don't pack anything valuable, I do like my "undies". I've seen enough 20/20 stories abt stealing from suitcases by bagage handlers when they are locked, I can't imagine if they are all open.

If this is the case, why don't they just scan/search them in front of you, like in customs. When you've "cleared", just lock them & let you go.

 

[Straitlover]

You can lock it, but if they need to get in (see soemthing suspicious), they will break your lock.

What you can do is use those cable zip ties through the holes in your zippers. If they need to go in, they will cut that and put new ones on once they're through.

I haven't flown since this new rule came about, but when I do, I will be packing my unmentionables in my carry-on!

 

[Letsbgoofy]

The zip ties work great - just be sure that you have nail clippers in your carry on to get them off at your hotel.

We packed in the space saver bags (large zip lock bags work too.
). There are some things I don't want anyone touching! They search carry ons as well - I would rather have my underwear, etc. in plastic bags in my checked luggage.

 

[Kimberle]

Where do you get those plastic ties? I've never seen them.

TIA

 

[GoldenOldie]

Originally posted by Straitlover
...What you can do is use those cable zip ties through the holes in your zippers. If they need to go in, they will cut that and put new ones on once they're through....

I travel often and have had the cable ties removed from my bag on several occasions. TSA put a letter inside the suitcase each time at the various airports involved but not once did they replace the cable tie.

 

[Barb]

It seems the airports don't know what to do either. Philly told me to just have the ties ready and when they're done checking, just ask the inspector to put the ties on for you. I tried that in LA, and it didn't work. At LAX, they take the bags away and inspect them while you wait in a holding area. In Philly, they inspect them while you're standing there. So maybe if you're somewhere where you can ask them as you stand by your luggage, it will work that way.
I don't like not locking my bags either. You know that if something is stolen or missing, there will be no recourse. But this is a fact of life and a necessary evil.
Kimberle, you can get the wire tires/zip ties at any hardware store. They even come in pretty colors.

 

[eeyore74]

Check out www.magellans.com

They have a few different types of ties and there should be some advice, also, on what to do.

 

[~Sparkly~Zoe]

I got my zip ties at a dollar store!

 

[Letsbgoofy]

We got ours at Home Depot. Bright colors - very inexpensive.

At our (very small) airport, they checked the bags in front of us. We had extra ties sitting on top of our clothes (packed in space savers) hoping they would use them and retie the luggage. They used one of their own ties.

At LAX they took our bags away. They checked only one of them and retied it with their own ties. This was mid-August.

I will continue to put the ties on top of our clothes and hope that they continue to retie them with either theirs or ours. It seems like if your bags are tied they retie them, if they aren't you only get the letter in your luggage.

 

[linda8892]

I bought my cable ties at Staples. I was flying out to Seattle for a cruise to Alaska and on the return trip the TSA did open one of my bags and put "THE LETTER" inside and put one of their cable ties back on the bag.

 

[Mermaid02]

I don't like the idea of not locking my luggage either. But if some LOSER wants to steal my 100% white cotton undies- he can have them! What freaks are in this world!

 

[Straitlover]

GoldenOldie, I was just going by what I was told who checked at our local airport (RDU).

I think if I end up going to DC in Nov on a business trip, I am going to get some Space Bags so I can fit everything in my carryon!

 

[GoldenOldie]

Originally posted by Straitlover
GoldenOldie, I was just going by what I was told who checked at our local airport (RDU)...

Oh I completely understand. The problem is that the TSA doesn't do things one standardized way. Every airport does it their own way. What holds true at one airport will not be true at another. It even varies from one examiner to the next.

It looks like a few other people have gotten their cable ties replaced when TSA opened them. I haven't. It's just TSA's version of the Carousel of Policy.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Luggage locks are, in reality, a joke. It takes nothing to open them or to break them. There have been stories, yes, but, it is rare. My attitude has been and contiues to be, "take it, don't break it". Don't carry anything valuable in the checked luggage and you should be all set.
Golden Oldie, you are correct, while the TSA has guidelines they sure seem to impliment them differently at each airport.

 

[SamSam]

Suitcase locks only kept out the honest people anyway. We have flown several times during the past two years and have had our luggage checked (behind the scenes) several times. Each time there was a note left inside saying they had been searched and they were also closed with a cable lock even though we did not have locks on them. We do always put a luggage strap around the outside of our suitcase and after one 'search', it was not replaced. I was a little irritated, but I assume they were trying to do their job rapidly and simply overlooked putting the strap back on.
I'm glad for the extra precautions and feel it's a small price to pay for a little extra security.

 

[tjmw2727]

We just returned from a trip to WDW the last two weeks in August and were asked to leave them unlocked at both logan and mco. We used key rings to secure them but as tge they are secure, reusable and fairly easily (but not to easily!) removed. On the way to Orlando none of our bags were opened and searched. On the return flight 2 of our 4 bags were opened and searched. Both had the letter indicating the search, one had the key ring back on it and the other had the zip tie.

TJ

 

[mcnuss]

I will be packing my unmentionables in my carry-on!

Just be forewarned that you likely to have your carry-on hand-searched in front of a whole bunch of people staring at your unmentionables, vs. having them in your luggage where the search behind closed doors (if one occurs, and in I can't tell you how many flts, it's not happened to me yet, it's always been xray).

I put all of our undies, anything I don't want handled, etc... into 2 gallon ziplocks, no need for the space bags for a short trip.