Suitcase security

[thefoxes]

Due to the tight security over in the USA, are you able to lock your suitcases once they have been packed, or i am wasting my time as customs will break open the locks ?

Or are they only allowed to search your suitcase in your presence ?

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Also is it recommended to take an asprin prior to take off due to DVT ?

Your thoughts would be grateful.


Thanks

 

[lewisturek]

Hi thefoxes,


US Customs have the right to search any bag they like, with or without the owner present. If they do search your bag, they will (or at least they should) repack the bag carefully, and put in a US Customs piece of paper explaining that your bag has been searched.


RE locking the bags. When my Mum went over to Orlando a couple of weeks ago (to see family, not WDW ), she was advised to lock her bags, NOT WITH PADLOCKS, BUT WITH CABLE TIES. These are very cheap pieces of plastic that can lock the two zips together as tight as necessary and then can only be released by cutting them with scissors. 100 Cable ties are about 2 quid from Maplins or B & Q.

Hope that helps,



Lewis

 

[Hilary]

I have my cable ties all ready for our next trip but, can anyone tell me how you're supposed to cut them off once you reach your destination if you aren't allowed (quite understandably) to take scissors or penknives, etc. in hand luggage?!

 

[Sue & Co.]

As far as I am aware you are allowed to take a small pair of scissors in your checked luggage (assuming that you only use this method with the larger pieces of checked luggage and leave one of the childrens pieces accessible) or ask at the hotel to borrow a pair. We always use this method as it is obvious as soon as you collect your luggage if someone has looked in it (especially as the ties we use are a colour that most people wouldn't have to be able to replace them).

Sue

 

[mandymouse]

We flew with Virgin to Orlando in April, we put cable ties on our cases, at Gatwick we were asked to open one case (security randomly chose one of our three cases) and as our cases have a zipped pocket on the outside we put some nail clippers in there and we were able to clip off the cable tie straight away. We also put a few spare ties in this pocket if we were asked to open them again. That was the only time our cases were opened. As we had used twilight check in and it was quiet we didn't feel under pressure to hurry up as there was no queue behind us.

 

[disneyannie]

we also plan to use cable ties when we fly next friday. we plan to put scissors in the outer pocket of my daughters suitcase. as regard spare cable ties, we plan to put them in our hand luggage so no one else can use them.

we also plan to take an asprin an hour before take off.

 

[lewisturek]

Hi

To be honest, if you use some common sense during your flight, the chances of you getting Deep Vein Thrombosis are very slim.

Tips:

1. Get up and walk up and down the plane twice AT LEAST ONCE AN HOUR. (this might seem extreme, but walking is the best thing to get blood to circulate in your legs.)

2. Drink plenty of water and DO NOT DRINK TEA/COFFEE OR ESPECIALLY ALCOHOL. Drinking water will keep you hydrated which is good . Drinking tea coffee or alcohol will dehydrate you which is bad, as this can indirectly lead to DVT.

3. If you are travelling with Virgin, tune into one of the TV channels which shows you feet exercises that you can copy, again doing this will help minimise the chance of DVT.


Finally, DVT affects 1 in 2000 travellers. In other words, you have a 0.05% chance of getting DVT - I'd say that was pretty slim.

Hope that helps,


Lewis


Now, i have to go back to revising for my A Levels. (Last exam on friday, yay )

 

[signtalker]

weve recently come back, and everybody who was checking in at orlando, if they had padlocks on their suitcases were told to take them off, otherwise they wouldnt be able to check in!.We had cableties on our bags,and the checkin assistant never said a word!.
At gatwick I lost count of the cases that went round on the carousel that had been opened.

jules

 

[Grumpy John]

We returned last Sunday from Orlando flying out of Sanford. We used cable ties on all of our checked in luggage both going out and returning. When picking up luggage at Gatwick we had one case that had been opened at Sanford and a TSA security tie had been used to lock the case. Definitely use ties.

 

[WDWfan uk]

They have been confiscating nail scissors in hand luggage, but putting them in the outer pocket of the suitcase is an excellent idea!
They are very hot about this in Canada too Hilary - they had baskets piled high with small nail scissors, metal nail files etc.

 

[thefoxes]

thank you all for you comments, i shall use tieraps !

 

[BiGGy]

Is this a new thing with regards to extra security?
We have been twice since 9/11 and we use hard cases that have a combination lock built into the handle.

Does this mean we would have to leave them open ??


Rgds

BiGGy

 

[Rain]

Hi BiGGy,

Yes we were told by American airlines we had to leave them open,

We did however buy some luggage straps for them just to make them a little bit more secure.


Lynda

 

[lewisturek]

Hi everyone,


Although nail clippers and small scissors will be confiscated by security, the ludicrous thing is that you can then walk straight into Boots in the duty free area and buy another pair!!! Good to see security standars are so high!


Lewis

 

[Grumpy John]

BiGGY, before we went out 3 weeks after we did some investigating re locking cases and the answer in all enquiries was do not lock but use the plastic ties. We used ties and put a couple of case straps around the cases. At Gatwick last week picking up our luggage there were several cases that obviously had combination locks that had been forcibly opened. I am pretty sure that if they do force them open that you cannot claim on your insurance especially if you have been told not to because of security.

 

[peewakio]

What we are going to do is attach the padlocks to the tie-raps so that if security need to check out our bags they can then use the padlocks to secure them once they have finished.

 

[UKDEB]

We flew back from MCO on 25 May this year. We had two hard cases with combination locks (locked) and a holdall with a padlock. Nothing was mentioned a check-in.

We couldn't fathom how cable ties would work with our combination lock suitcases (if someone can enlighten me, I'll be grateful), but we had bought some lockable luggage straps on the basis that it would be cheaper if security cut them than if they smashed our locks. On the way out, this was fine as the cases were half empty and we didn't have anything of value in them. On the return journey, they were crammed full and also had all our souvenirs in them. We were worried about the possibility them bursting open (have you seen the way they throw them around?) so we decided to lock them.

I can recommend the yellow straps for identifying the cases quickly at both ends!

 

[BiGGy]

Thats what worries me is the fact our cases are calton ones where there is no way to lock them apart the the combination lock, so we would have to use straps too that hopefully will be strong enough, as i dont fancy the locks being broken on all 4 cases.




rgds
BiGGy

 

[Scottish_Maleficent]

Think I'll phone United and get their offical line on this tomorrow. There was nothing mentioned in our tickets...

Cath

 

[disneyannie]

there was no mention with our virgin tickets either. the only warning is about undeveloped camera film. for something this important i think they should be giving us some advice with our tickets