To lock or not to lock
 

Leaving next week for Nice on BA. Should I lock my check in baggage or does new security make it more pragmatic not to? TIA

I always lock, mainly because I have nightmares about my bag flying open and then having to scramble onto the baggage carousel to retrieve all my knickers.

And yes, it has happened to me once!

I can only tell you of our personal experience recently. We were flying from Washington National and the "bomb machine" is in clear view in front of the USAirways ticket counter. When we handed over our luggage for this scan we told the folks we wanted to lock the luggage AFTER they had scanned it and before they sent it down to the loading area...no problem. For this particular trip I had packed lighter than usual and I tend to travel "heavy" even to Europe, so there wasn't much in the suitcase. However after the scan the attendant opened and went through the entire bag and then I locked it. I kinda doubt they decided to hand search the luggage because I had said I wanted to lock it...trying not to be paranoid here. But I feel better when my luggage is locked because I think locks, as easily defeated as they can be, tend to keep people honest.

You should buy plastic ties that lock in place. If the airport security wants to cut them off, they can, and if not, then your luggage is logged (except against people with scissors, I guess). But, either way, you'd know right away if your bag had been opened.

You can buy the ties in a luggage store or at places like Home Depot or Loews. A pack of 10 costs about a $1 or something.

Karen

Kate, that happened to my mother when we arrived in Hawaii when I was a kid..It still remember how embarrassed and annoyed she was! And the kind young sailor who was helping her pick everything up!LOL

I do not lock my luggage anymore..we take the plastic ties or the airline uses theirs and they do it after the xray.Have not had a problem yet.

Definitely use the plastic ties. I bought really bright neon ones - That way I would know if it had been opened ( and the bonus was, if it wasn't opened, then it made it easier to spot my luggage on the baggage carosel).

Be sure to bring extra ties with you. When we left Ireland, I got picked for the random hand search - after they cut off the ties, and searched it, I was allowed to put new ties on.

My only concern about the plastic ties is that anyone can open the luggage and what recourse do you have? Not that we've probably ever had much anyway..sigh.

The key point is that if your checked luggage is locked and security wants to go through it and you're not around to unlock, they will break the lock!

I flew Continental from Milan to Newark. When I got home (the next day), I realized that someone had rifled thru our luggage. The airline told us that we should have reported it immediately at the airport when we collected our luggage, so they would not cover it.

At least with the plastic ties, you can tell if they've been cut & if someone has been thru your luggage. They may have just had to go thru your luggage for security purposes and would have cut the lock.

At least you know that someone has been messing with your things whether it be security or a baggage handler. I agree with Bootman4U that locks are made for honest people.

Bottom line: After 2-3 months & several letters, I did get a check for over $300 for the things that I lost, including 7 rolls of exposed film (lost memories).

Okay - does anyone have suggestions on how you could lock a hard case? There's nothing to thread cable ties through.....

I've been just leaving mine unlocked.

I read somewhere about luggage straps that have locks on them ( or maybe just jump rings) - but they would have to go around all 4 sides or through a handle or something.

Sorry for the person who lost the 7 rolls of film but you shouldn't be putting film in checked luggage these days--carry them through in your carryon luggage.

Gretchen, that was a couple of years ago before they were x-raying checked luggage.

I now have a digital camera with one great big chip that I carry on, so it's not a problem.

Just flew out of London on Saturday and asked if the bag had to be unlocked. Was told no and that if they had a question they would page me so that I could unlock it and be present. Now, why can't it be that way here? Why do we have such faulty bomb detection machines? If Heathrow can page people, why can't LA or DC?

When unpacking on arrival in London my mother and sister had notes in their suitcases saying the airline had randomly chosen their luggage to be searched. We did not lock our luggage before departure. I think the airline will break your lock if they choose your luggage to be searched. I never put anything of value in my checked luggage so I'm not too worried about it being unlocked.

Maxie - what airline did you fly? I've also been chosen at random to have my luggage searched - with an annoying frequency - but they always tell me as I'm checking in then hold the ticket until they've checked the bags. It's never been a random search after check-in. I'm headed to London next month with British Airways out of Orlando and am wondering if their procedures have changed? Thanks.

In 1997 we had used combination locks on our flight to Munich. On arrival the locks had been cut off and the luggage stickered by NWA that they had searched it. Since then we do as follows:

1. Use durable soft sided luggage with heavy duty zippers.
2. Do not lock the luggage
3. Only pack in checked luggage clothes.

All cameras, valuables, film, souvenirs, etc stay with us. We have since been back to Europe, and also had trips to Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and other domestic stops with no problems and nothing lost.

In reality if anyone wants to get in they can, or just take the bag. I agree it is distressing that someone lost 7 rolls of film, but even the airlines tell you not to put film in the checked bags due to possible xray dammage.

Granted, it would be upsetting to lose any clothes due to time and money replacing them, but the odds of someone wanting our clothes is probably very remote!

The random luggage inspections have to do with the federalized Transportation Security Administration, so it's irrelevant what airline you are flying. The inspections may well take place after your bag has been checked, which is why they suggest you do not lock it.

http://129.33.119.130/public/display...mp;content=456

They are supposed to put a notice in your bag if they've looked through it: "If TSA screeners open your bag during the screening procedure, they will close it with a tamper evident seal and place a notice in your bag alerting you to the fact that TSA screeners opened your bag for inspection."

If it's the old type snap type lock built into the suitcase, don't lock it--use a strap around the suitcase to keep it secure. If you have soft luggage that you can use those cheap padlocks on, then go ahead and lock it--you haven't lost much if they do have to break the locks. The locks are really there only to prevent accidental openings and grab and run theft anyway.

In the news this week - the gendarmes had arrested about 100 people working in the baggage department of Charles De Gaulle airport for stealing systematically over the last year!