Luggage Check

[browny121]

I travel to Florida on Sunday (can't wait) with the family.

I am concerned having looked on the Virgin site it tells you that immigration do not want you to lock your luggage as they do 100% baggage check.

It sounds like they are checking it with you not being present, is this true I do not want somebody breaking open my luggage, it won't make for a good start to the holiday!!

Virgin have advised against this and I must admit I am concerned about my luggage travelling and not being locked.

What have other people done who have travelled recently.

 

[brer rabbit 28]

i put plastic cable sealers on my luggage last trip,so if they want to check my case they cut them off.You can buy special TSA locks which can be opened by security.not sure how they work,but they are mentioned on this site a lot,they seem to be the safest thing to use.

 

[Cochise]

This is done, not sure on 100% though.

I am a great believer this is for the greater good. Accept it, you have nothing they havent seen before.

 

[kristieuk]

We tend to find we get one or two bags out of three checked. You know they've looked at yours as they generally leave behind a leaflet.

The only way to protect you bags and your lock is to use the TSA locks. These are widely available now in Boots, House of Fraser etc, or if you are pushed for time, you should find them in a luggage shop in the airport. They will be marked 'TSA approved'. It just means they can be opened and closed by the authorities without any damage. Otherwise they simply saw off the lock.

It's just a sign of the times we live in. It doesn't bother me in the slightest if it means we are only a little bit safer. It's no big deal at the end of the day.

 

[kevin harrison]

You have 2 choices really, Leave them locked and risk your bags being physically broken open, leave then unlocked or like others have said use TSA locks and maybe a strap around your case.

 

[patdavies]

It is worth pointing out that this screening by US Authorities (TSA) is only done outbound from the US if your are flying direct. The screening is done when boarding a flight in the US.

That said, we use cable ties to seal bags - they are just as secure as the usual flimsy padlocks/suitcase locks. If the TSA search our bags, our cable ties will be cut off and replaced with blue ones.

 

[browny121]

The thing I'm worried about is all my luggage is Samsonite, there is nowhere to put a cable tie, or padlock.

I suppose I am worried about the "Sod's Law" factor of the case coming open and everything coming out.

It is interesting you say it is only done on the outward journey not on arrival.

Has anybody else had Samsonite luggage, has things been okay.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

We have 3 hard Delsey suitcases and always lock them.
This year we visited Orlando twice and never had any problems.

My advice would be to lock them - if you ask any of the Virgin staff at the Airport they will always say the same.

 

[wicket2005]

I went in July using a Samsonite and a Delsey hard bodied case plus a soft holdall. I didn't want to risk the hard bodied cases being damaged so I left them unlocked. I bought two luggage straps and used several cable ties to secure the luggage straps together. The holdall I secured with a cheap padlock. None of the cases were looked in either going or coming back.

 

[carolfoy]

I've never locked a case at all anywhere and travel worldwide 3- 4 times a year

 

[disneyholic family]

i would use luggage straps on your samsonite cases....
as for TSA locks, the brilliant TSA people (ha), broke off our TSA approved lock on one of our suitcases two weeks ago....idiots....even more idiotic, since i leave all locks to open on 000.....but these were TSA locks with the TSA symbol on them.....idiots....in place of the lock that they broke off, was a plastic tie and their stupid note inside saying they'd searched the bag..
it was a no brainer that they were going to open that bag, it was the one with the electronics in it.....but it had a stupid TSA lock on it!!!!.....that's why it had a TSA lock on it....idiots..idiots...idiots....
fortunately, the bag also had two luggage straps on it (i send all our suitcases with two luggage straps each.....both for purposes of easier identification among the zillions of arriving suitcases and to keep them shut if the locks or zippers break)....

 

[gilld]

None of our luggage was opened as far as I am aware - they all had TSA locks on. My friend recently came back from a trip to Las Vegas and Phoenix and all their cases (4 in all) were opened on all 3 flights! What's more she was questioned and searched (behind the scenes) twice!!!

 

[wicket2005]

as for TSA locks, the brilliant TSA people (ha), broke off our TSA approved lock on one of our suitcases two weeks ago....idiots....even more idiotic, since i leave all locks to open on 000.....but these were TSA locks with the TSA symbol on them.....idiots....in place of the lock that they broke off, was a plastic tie and their stupid note inside saying they'd searched the bag..
it was a no brainer that they were going to open that bag, it was the one with the electronics in it.....but it had a stupid TSA lock on it!!!!.....that's why it had a TSA lock on it....idiots..idiots...idiots....
QUOTE]

Beth, how annoying, the least they can do is use the locks properly. I hope you didn't lose any of your electronic equipment. I bought a couple of the TSA locks in July on the return journey, going just used cable ties and luggage straps. It makes you think twice about buying TSA locks if they are just going to break them.

With your experience, does your luggage usually get checked? I was expecting it in July and was surprised our luggage had not been opened.

 

[LoveWDW]

None of our luggage was opened as far as I am aware - they all had TSA locks on. My friend recently came back from a trip to Las Vegas and Phoenix and all their cases (4 in all) were opened on all 3 flights! What's more she was questioned and searched (behind the scenes) twice!!!

Uh oh. I haven't flown for 4 years so haven't been through the increased security, but when I did fly, I was always the one who got their luggage wanded, every time. And I never had anything the least suspicious. I suspect they just picked the least likely person to check. So I figure I'll be the one searched behind the scenes now.

I hope I can find those TSA locks at my AAA. At least I think I should get another strap or two.

 

[disneyholic family]

Beth, how annoying, the least they can do is use the locks properly. I hope you didn't lose any of your electronic equipment. I bought a couple of the TSA locks in July on the return journey, going just used cable ties and luggage straps. It makes you think twice about buying TSA locks if they are just going to break them.

With your experience, does your luggage usually get checked? I was expecting it in July and was surprised our luggage had not been opened.

the reason i knew that bag would be searched was that it had lots of electrical cables in it....things that they see when they x-ray the bags, but can't determine for certain whether they're a problem or not...

as for our bags being targeted, typically all luggage of persons from overseas are scrutinized more carefully......that is, people traveling to the US from overseas are more carefully searched....(silly, since the 9/11 terrorists all were flying on domestically purchased tickets, but since they're not allowed to profile this is the best they can do)....

and no, i've never had anything stolen out of my bags....i usually carry expensive electronics in my carry-on luggage....the sort of thing that was in that bag were headphones (the good sound-negating headphones) and the like...
but i also had this massive boom box -- speakers for an IPOD....not the IPOD, just this huge adapting speaker......it was just too big and too heavy for me to carry on board so i decided to risk carrying it in the checked in luggage....
it works fine by the way....so i guess it didn't get knocked around too much...

 

[wicket2005]

the reason i knew that bag would be searched was that it had lots of electrical cables in it....things that they see when they x-ray the bags, but can't determine for certain whether they're a problem or not...

as for our bags being targeted, typically all luggage of persons from overseas are scrutinized more carefully......that is, people traveling to the US from overseas are more carefully searched....(silly, since the 9/11 terrorists all were flying on domestically purchased tickets, but since they're not allowed to profile this is the best they can do)....

and no, i've never had anything stolen out of my bags....i usually carry expensive electronics in my carry-on luggage....the sort of thing that was in that bag were headphones (the good sound-negating headphones) and the like...
but i also had this massive boom box -- speakers for an IPOD....not the IPOD, just this huge adapting speaker......it was just too big and too heavy for me to carry on board so i decided to risk carrying it in the checked in luggage....
it works fine by the way....so i guess it didn't get knocked around too much...

Thanks Beth, glad you didn't get anything stolen. Just really wanted to know if your bags are usually opened. I was expecting our cases to be opened in July and was surprised they were not.

 

[patdavies]

that is, people traveling to the US from overseas are more carefully searched..

People travelling TO the USA are not searched by the TSA on arrival - there is little point in screening luggage for explosives etc. after the aircraft has landed!!

 

[disneyholic family]

People travelling TO the USA are not searched by the TSA on arrival - there is little point in screening luggage for explosives etc. after the aircraft has landed!!

right, when you leave the country, or if you travel inside the US (and your tickets were purchased overseas) your checked and carry-on luggage will be more carefully checked...
you'll get that enjoyable "SSSS" on your boarding pass and be sent to a 'special' line....oh joy....

 

[browny121]

Did the Twilight check in today for departure tomorrow at 12.30 (can't wait) so if anybody replies to this sorry will not be able to reply until we get back.

Anyway spoke to Virgin check in Assistant we had put luggage straps around the cases, the lady said it would be okay and they would only open them if when they were x-rayed they saw something out of the ordinary or could not identify.

As we checked in my Sister's case was pulled for a thourough check it had a proper TSA lock on it so had to open it for him!

After we had our luggage checked through the guy asked us not to leave the Airport for 30 minutes, if nothing came over the PA then we could leave.

So it seems to put people a bit more at ease at least for the outgoing journey you can lock them if doing the Twilight check in as they will call you to open your case if they are not happy

 

[maureen4200040]

We came back at the end of september from Orlando, put locks on all our luggage - and it was'nt opened or searched everything was how i packed
it in Orlando.

I wonder if these people have enough time to search every single suitcase
or bag that happens to pass by them.

Maureen4200040