Luggage screening...an update?

[Alton]

Hi all...

I've been reading with great interest all the different stories about locking or not locking your case.

On the way out...it's ok to lock/secure your case? Or do the TSA guys in the US still open cases on arrival to Orlando?

On the way back, best to leave unlocked, and secure soft bags with cable ties and hard cases with straps? I suppose you could always wind some sticky tape around a hard case, right?

Bleugh, what a bind this could be!

And if they break open a locked hard-case...how do they seal it shut again?

 

[KayleeUK]

We didn't lock our bag's. On the way back I think all but 1 of our bags were opened.

 

[Mike Jones]

Likewise, our cases were opened last trip. We don't lock at all.. simply relying on the latches and strong bungee cords to secure them... my take is that if someone steals the whole case, locks make no difference, and, if they want to burst a typical case lock, they can do it in seconds with a toothpick!... and anyone desperate or sad enough to want my old clothes and toiletries is welcome! I can buy more at WalMart!

Mike

 

[richard3330]

Virgin Atlantic's recommendation to me was to lock all cases.

Richard.

 

[Mike Jones]

Originally posted by richard3330
Virgin Atlantic's recommendation to me was to lock all cases.

Richard.

.. hear what you say, Richard, but they won't compensate you if any damage is caused

Mike

 

[LorraineH]

Sorry to sound thick, but I'm not understanding this thread at all!!

My partner is insisting we get new locks for all our cases (he is worried someone could slip something illegal into our cases).

But you all seem to be saying that our cases will be opened and checked.

Are we with the cases when they are checked, or are they broken open without us being there?? And is this on both routes? And what are they looking for? Im planning on having a suitcase full of dirty washing on our return flight and that wont be pleasant at all!!!!

Sorry if Im being dumb - but its our first "big" flight and I want to make sure we do everything right!


Lorraine

 

[Mike Jones]

Lorraine.. they don't seem to be opened much by UK oficials on the way out, but they are frequently opened (after you've waved them bye bye) by US officials on the way back. If they are locked they will break into them.

 

[Alton]

Hi all...

Bungee cords...now there's an idea!

I think we are going to leave them unlocked, and buy a couple of those webbing straps to put around them...

Sadly, I guess it's an irritating fact that people you have never met are allowed to rummage through your belongings whilst you are not there. I'm not too concerned about anything being put into my case (cause I'm safe in the knowledge that I'm innocent) and really, as you said, Mike, if someone wants some worn undies, they're welcome to them. No other way to look at it really, is there?

But again, do they make an attempt to reseal any cases that are broken open?

 

[Mike Jones]

Alton... if you have zip/padlocked cases, they'll reseal them with a cable tie. They taped one of ours up... we have the latched/integral lock type... it wasn't locked, but very full!.. so they didn't waste much time repacking tidily, just stuffed everything back and wrapped gaffer tape around the joint!

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

These type of threads bring back nasty memories of our last October's trip

Suffice to say we were told by Virgin Atlantic to lock our cases - their view was that if we didn't take precautions and something was stolen or damaged, then it was our fault. So we locked - and two of our three cases got opened by the TSA. Internal locks were all damaged and the contents of both of these cases were searched so roughly that good were damaged (including my DH's beloved souvenir beer he brought back - opened all over the clothes, including pressies for people ). All we had was a note put in one of the cases from the TSA to say they had inspected "for our own security" - don't have a problem with that in the slightest. What I did have a HUGE problem with was the damage caused - fragile goods which had been very carefully wrapped and packed were just thrown in any how and of course broke, including a bottled of garish blue nailvarnish which ended up poked down the side of the case, shattered and ruined three t-shirts (all pressies) and the suitcase.

Neither of our two opened cases were secured again afterwards and anything could have been stolen from them My DH's case was actually half open when we picked it off the carousel . . . .

I contacted VA as soon as we got home and they were very nice and sent me a claim form immediately. I did point out that whilst I understand why they advise to lock, they also should point out to their clients the possibilities of cases being opened are very high. I wouldn't have minded, but armed with a handful of cable ties at the airport and specifically asking should we just put cable ties on they said we should lock I had even contacted my travel insurance company before we flew to ask their advice - they didn't have any!

So, you have to make the decision to hope that if you use cable ties you don't have to claim for anything because from what VA told me, this isn't grounds for reasonable care