travelingtish

My question is: Why would anyone pack their pills, contact lenses, or any kind of electronic equipment in a check-in bag? Or anything of ANY value?

Anything of value or that I cannot do without goes with me at ALL times. We all know this stuff happens. Why tempt fate? I take a large carry-on bag. In fact, I've gone to Africa with nothing except a carry on.

suze

like travelingtish above, hopefully everyone reading will be reminded NOT to pack valuables in their checked luggage. Meredith, tough lesson but next time I'm guessing her Kate Spade and toiletries will be with her, not checked.

Treesa

Yes, Meredith, I flew from Heathrow to LAX about five years ago. I had tons of chocolates in my checked in suitcase. When we arrived in LAX I thought my bag was unusually light and then realized the goodies were gone. I contacted BA immediately, faxed them my receipts and got a check for the full amount within a couple of weeks. I really wanted them to send me a round trip ticket to Paris for a shopping spree but they declined.... I was pleasantly surprised by their prompt response and speedy refund.

petitepois

Now that I think about it... yes. On my honeymoon five years ago, we flew Heathrow to Naples. When we finally arrived at our hotel in Capri, I noticed several disposable cameras were missing from my bag -- they were leftovers from the wedding. I didn't report anything, because it seemed unlikely and paranoid to think that someone would have stolen them, and I'd pretty much convinced myself that they'd "fallen out" of my bag. After reading these tales, I'm guessing someone probably did go through my bag and take them.

slkillin

I know this really wouldn't help too much, but are you allowed to lock your luggage when you check them?

Frances

When my 19 year old daughter was on a gap year in S.E.Asia we flew out to join her for Christmas. We met up in the airport at K.L. where we were transiting and where she had checked in having stayed at the airport the previous night. When we arrived in Langkawi and she took the rain cover off her rucksack(the rucksack itself was chained closed)a clear plastic bag containg 5 or 6 coloured tablets fell out.The were brightly coloured and quite large. Why anyone would have put them there is beyond me but it obviously happened between checking in in K.L. and recovering her bag in Langkawi.
What would have happened if she had been alone and been stopped?

caroline_edinburgh

Interesting story, Frances - you've now reminded me of the time I got home and found a bra not belonging to me in my suitcase ! I think that was a suitcase which fell aprt en rout, though - as presumably did sopmeone else's

You are allowed to lock baggage checked in at UK airports - I've never heard of anywhere this isn't allowed except the US. Not that I ever do.

Padraig

caroline_edinburgh wrote: "You are allowed to lock baggage checked in at UK airports - I've never heard of anywhere this isn't allowed except the US. Not that I ever do."

The first thing I do when I buy a case is lose the keys. I never lock baggage either. Simple rationale: thieves take only things that are valuable to them for their own use or for sale. Nobody else would want my clothes. Anything worth stealing is with me, not in the hold. So if a dishonest baggage handler opens my case and finds nothing to take, he can close it again because the lock won't have been destroyed. I don't know if a baggage handler ever opened any case of mine, but nothing has ever been stolen and no case has been rendered unusable (battered and scruffed up a bit, yes, but that's par for the course).

caroline_edinburgh

Ha ha, me too Padraig !

davidjac

Flew Alitalia from Milan to Boston last summer and our bages were 8 days late in arriving home. There were two broken itesm and one missing toy soldier for my grandson. Alitalia statde they were not repsonsible for "collectibles".

Ridculous answer but the cost of the itesm were not enough for more aggravation in dealing with them.

Mimar

I flew through Heathrow last year. My suitcase was locked with a TSA lock (openable by the US Transportation Security Agency). When my bag finally arrived--late-- the lock had been cut off, in such a way that the bag could no longer be locked or even closed with cable ties. Nothing was missing from my bag. Happily it was an old suitcase and I junked it after my return.

Mahya2

Thanks for this thread.
Now I realize it wasn't just an accident. Same thing.

From Heathrow, short flight to CDG Paris. My one checked bag did not show up - was delivered later that evening to the hotel. With the zipper
TORN right off from side to side. I dont mean the zipper broke, I mean the zipper was torn off the material of the suitcase.
No reason for it since it wasn't locked. I didnt notice anything missing immediately, But it was my favorite suitcase for travel.Could get 10 dresses and shoes and underwear all in the one. And so far have been unable to find anyplace that can repair it. They dont make them as large and long as that one anymore

Mahya2

Oh yes, I will mention another unlovely experience at the Zurich airport - going through the security line, I was the last and no other passengers were around.

You tell people to keep their make-up with them, I did, in the allowable amounts, however I got a couple of the Swiss, also known as the "good Germans" who were not so good. They decided to have a good time with me. He took my handbag - she pulled me to the last of four curtained cubicles, I asked for my handbag which had my passport and money - and he yelled "I have it , I have it". I knew he had it, but they ar not supposed to take it and open it outside of your sight. When I returned to the conveyor belt, he had poured the contents of my large bag into two containers.And decided I had too much makeup- not allowed - by this time I was furious - 5 flights through Europe on the trip and this had never happened. Now the stewardess was running over and telling me I was going to miss my plane - I'm muttering under my breath - and the wannabee
Nazi boy says" I can make it so you dont fly" in a very threatening manner. I threw my things back into my handbag,looked at their nametags, took out pen and paper and wrote their names down, at which point the woman said in German to the guy, she's taking our names".I went with the stewardess down the walk and the Nazi wannabe and his accomplice girlfriend were laughing heartily outloud. told her I wanted to file a complaint. She said "no time".Which made me even angrier. On the plane, I began to check my two wallets, one for Euro and one for US $.
Sure enough, they had left me a 50 in each wallet, but the rest was gone. I called the chief steward and told him I wanted to make a written complaint - he said it wouldn't do any good - they were "government employees". Well , no they weren't. They are private contracted security people. I insisted he make a report and took his name and wrote it down. Are you getting an idea of how furious I was? The money was the least of it, but the treatment by this gang at the security check through put me over the top.

I should mention I'm a former investigator. When I got home I called up and got the name and emailed the Vice President of SwissAir and wanted the name of the manaager of the Zurich airport. Wrote a report giving names, the incident or scam - the failure of the Swissair stewards to respond or allow a police report to be made...etc.etc.

Yes, I was insured, but that wasn't the point. The response: The Swiss police e mailed me and phoned me in the USA and criminal charges were brought against the security lil Nazi and his girlfriend. And that;s just what I called him in my report: young Nazi wannabe.

The moral of the story: Don't mess with or assume little American women can be bullied and pushed around !!!

Still angry as I re-live it.,

WillTravel

Maybe these stories of errant underwear ending up in suitcases are some baggage handlers' idea of fun, thinking of the possible domestic consequences when the suitcase is opened!

W9London

About the locks, I found those colourful pipe cleaner wires (the kind used for kids crafts) serve as a cheap alternatives to TSA locks.
I just twist them around zipper tabs. Hope the added fussiness (combined with shoddy condition of my bags) deter any thefts. An added advantage is that it helps me identify my bags amidst of hundred other black roll-on luggage.

travelingtish

Mahya2 - Wow! What a story! I think I'll be carrying all my money and my credit card in my money belt until I get through security on any future trips abroad. What gall!

Travel has become so stressful. No one needs to have to deal with security personnel who are on a power trip, on top of everything else. It's always so nice when the security people are pleasant and cooperative. On a trip to L.A. several years ago, I found a world of difference in those I encountered on departure from Pittsburgh and the brusque security team at LAX when I came home. The heavier traffic at LAX is no excuse. I'm almost 70 years old and 5 foot 2. No one would look at me and think I was anything but what I am--a retire woman traveling for pleasure. Obviously they treat everyone like that and it would be awfully intimidating for someone taking their first plane trip.

Meredith

Thanks for the stories, everyone. Yes, lesson learned for me. I have traveled quite a bit in the past five years, both internationally and domestically, but I have never experienced lost or stolen luggage before. I always carry on my baggage when traveling with my husband, but I usually check my stuff when traveling alone because I am short and small and have a very hard time getting my bag into the overhead compartment by myself.

Anyway, I guess I won't use a designer cosmetic bag anymore, and I will always carry on from now on!

CJB666

Uxbridge Gazette (UK) - 19 Sept 2012 # Airport Theft Charges # Seven Heathrow employees have been accused of of stealing from the excess baggage department at Terminal 5 (solely occupied by British Airways).[List of defendants listed but deleted here.] The alleged offences took place between July 20 and August 2, 2011. None of the defendants has entered a plea. They appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on Thursday September 13, and were bailed to appear on October 25 for commital to crown court.

CJB666

Thank you the idea of pipe cleaners or electrical cable-ties, esp. the latter. We are due to go to Bangkok and these could be useful. Mind you the lovely Thais there have the endearing habit of slitting bags open with a knife to get at the contents inside so we don't have much confidence in keeping our stuff unscathed. And I wont even mention the many other scams at Bangkok - just Google a search - there's a whole website devoted to these. Oh and also search for 'duty free scam Bangkok' - that's even sanctioned by the authorities.

alanRow

<i>If you want your luggage broken into, use expensive cases.</i>

If you want your luggage broken into, put desirable items in it.