In Australia just recently there have been some travel ties advertised that are similar to the cable ties mentioned here. The new ones are numbered in consecutive order and can only be removed once. They come in a bag of 20. Therefore if you need to remove them for customs you then put on a new one for the next part of your journey. I haven't used them yet but friends are using them now and will report back.
http://www.tampertell.com/
Marsh - for the cable ties-how do you remove them either for inspection or at your destination seeing as we cannot carry scissors or pen knives any more in hand luggage?

Cable ties are sold in most hardware stores. Home Depot has a large selection of them, in many sizes. Be sure to get ties that are thin enough to fit through your luggage lock openings.

To cut off the cable ties, I carry a small nail clipper in my purse. Don't pull the cable tie to tightly when you attach it, so that you have room to use the clippers. Zippers on luggage usually have holes in the ends that allow for using the cable ties. You can find the ties at Walmart in white or bright colors, which I prefer to use.

Maudie...The same thing has crossed my mind that's why I haven't bought any ties especially since now I have to pack my Swiss Army knife in my checked bag. That's why I just use combination locks. Happy Travels!

Yes, I've heard that TSA theft is a problem. And then we are told not to pack any valuables or take the valuables on the plane with us. Well, as far as I'm concerned all of my things are valuable(to me) even my beat up hard-core decade old, Ex-Officio, travel clothes(that can't be replaced) Some things just can't be replaced if stolen or lost and everything can't be carried on board and especially with the new strict rules about how much that can be carried on board. Some things you just HAVE TO check. When I came home from Ghana, in Jan 2005,...Delta had lost my suitcase for 12 days!!!They lost it between Atlanta and L.A. I picked the suitcase up in Atlanta and cleared customs and rechecked it. I was an absolute wreck for 12 days as there were items acquired in Ghana that had to be checked...no room to carry them on the plane. Finally after A LOT of stress and a 4-page two-sided letter to Delta...the airline that also left me stranded in Italy on the way to Ghana since they booked me on a non-existant Ailitalia flight between Italy and Ghana...I received 15,000 frequent flyer miles for all my stress and inconvenience. My luggage arrived 12 days later and thank goodness nothing had been taken. What I do is... before leaving home and before leaving my travel destination for home, I write down EVERYTHING that I have packed in my suitcase. It sounds tedious, but it's necessary. When Delta had lost my luggage, the insurance company assumed that it was lost for good and sent me claim forms to fill out and said they needed a list of EVERYTHING in the suitcase...no problem. I had left a list,at home, of the things I had packed before having left home and then had the list of things acquired while abroad...added to a copy of the original list... so I filled out the claim form in about 15 minutes. I ended up not filing the claim, but if I had needed to file it,I would have had all my ducks in a row...so to speak.Plus by knowing everything that I had packed, I would have been able to recognize anything that had been stolen!Happy Travels!

Guenmai, thanks for that great idea about using nail clippers-I never would have thought of that one! I was going to send away for the Tampertell ones but now I will try the cable ties. Sorry to hear about your troubles, really takes the fun out of travelling but glad you got your precious things back. Excellent idea about listing your belongings. There are some really smart people on this board with lots of great ideas. Thanks again.

But nowadays nail clippers are not allowed in hand baggage...

Oh to be back in the days of relaxed travel! A couple of years back we took a train in Australia as opposed to flying, wow, talk about stress free, after so much flying it was amazing, putting aside the fact that it took a long time it made up for it being totally stress free, we loved it! Although air travel is reasonably stress free in Thailand even for long journeys just loading everything into the wagon and heading straight to destination, even if it means an overnight stop we really so much prefer.

Nail clippers are allowed in hand luggage, but they may not have a pointed nail file as part of the clipper.

I didn't recommend nailclippers.Happy Travels!

Oops sorry Guenmai, I must give the accolades to Marsh for that suggestion on nail clippers. It's still a great idea!
JamesA glad you enjoyed your train trip, I live in Perth and it takes us a long time to get anywhere (thats why we love it!). We took a train from Bangkok to Hua Hin a few years back and that trip is one of the highlights of our 2 weeks in Thailand. It was late late late leaving the city, had an accident at a crossing, even further delay and while the people were sorting that out a guy from the cafeteria car caught and killed a big lizard and then threw it into the kitchen area. What he did with it we have no idea ..... but later they were serving soup! We got into Hua Hin about 4 hours behind schedule and the bus from the Anantara was still there waiting for us. We had such a great day, ah the memories!

Back to the original topic...

When flying with Malaysian Airlines to Penang 2 years ago, my husband and I discovered in our hotel room that our locked suitcase had been opened and rifled through. One of the metal zipper ends which the lock went through had been sawn through. Luckily nothing had been taken as we keep everything of value with us. The airline certainly received our complaint!

No matter how your case is locked nothing will deter someone with the opportunity and means to break in.

Thank goodness airlines are becoming more aware of these breaches in client service and security, or at least in Australia they are. Did you hear about the groundstaff parading around in a camel suit from inside a passenger's checked luggage? He was spotted by the son of the passenger.

Airlines definately need to know when theft and attempted has occurred.

Although there are some less than clever people out there I believe overall the majority of travellers do 'their bit', I think the airports and the airlines should realise that they have a serious responsibility. The passenger does their share. The simple fact that baggage once out of the passengers hands is beyond their control has to without question lay the responsibily squarly on the airport handling authorities and the airlines. We are paying all these extra insurance charges and very often paying 'additional' sectiry charges, they are over and above what the airlines pay from a part of the ticket costs, also a lot of airports charge high departure taxes which go to the airports ( many of which make substantial profits ).

I was just listening to the guy at Bribane Airport that has set up his business shrink wrapping baggage at $8 per article. There was a plane leaving for Bali and he has 50 people waiting in line. Smart business move! Yes we did hear about the camel suit business - just goes to show, as you said, if they want to get in and they have time & means nothing will deter them. Thats terrible that you had your zip sawn through - glad you reported it.

Hi Maudie

Just got back from a trip to India, the UK and Singapore the other day and saw a bag that had been shrinkwrapped as you describe. It is a good idea to reduce the risk of tampering.

Another thing I liked on my travels was at Mumbai airport a few weeks ago. After my bag had been xrayed it was bound with a tie like the ones used on packing cases. This was before checkin. I thought this was good not only for security but for the passenger as there was less likelihood of the bag being tampered with. As it was compulsory to have this tie put on the bag it came free.

Good idea for all airports I would have thought.

Cheers

Steve

Hi Steve,
We had a similar tie put round our bags about 8 years ago in Singapore, the customs officers pushed down on our bags to expel air and held some kind of meter near the zip. We could only guess they were looking for drugs. They then "banded" our cases with the ties. Last time we travelled to Singapore, about 2 years ago, it wasn't done.

....

Maudie, the sniffers they use when they are pushing the air out of your bags looks for explosives. Both Singapore and Bangkok have used that system at various times. I do appreciate them sealing my bags with the plastic tie.