lincasanova

I see tons of tourist spending the 6E/bag to do this in Madrid and Valencia.. just wondering if this is a logical investment if carrying special items that don't fit in your carry-on.

I'e never done it, but maybe it's time I started?

Sher

Hi lin. I wondered that also. I was always under the impression that inspectors were able to open any piece of luggage. And these pieces are being wrapped before checking in for a flight.

TonyBishop

Apparently it is a good idea if your luggage is a backpack with straps that would get caught on other bags. It saves you from having to check the bag in separately, or at least that is what I have been told.

TonyBishop

See also my post on this thread.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...as-airport.cfm

I think wrapping your bag might be a deterrent.

uhoh_busted

I used to use a bunch of twist ties that kept zippers zipped, etc. I figured that they would take too long for someone to undo thus also serving as a deterrent. But eventually, we just started to travel lighter, and not check anything.

adrienne

I use electrical tie downs and can easily see if anyone has cut them and been into my bag. They also keep the zippers closed. I never check anything that I don't want to lose. The thieves can have my dirty laundry LOL.

lincasanova

hate to post this.. but zippered bags seem to be totally easy to open no matter what.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMTXzQ0Vqn8

adrienne

That video was enlightening but it takes too long for thieves to do all that work. They won't make much profit and will increase the chances of being caught.

hetismij2

adrienne - trust me that is what luggage thieves at airports do. They have plenty of time for such things. You have to check that bag in well before your flight after all. And then stand and wait for it at the other end again.

I have no choice but to check luggage, simply because my camera gear is my carry on. So far I have had a TSA check once, (with TSA locks on the bag) but I have never had anything stolen.

There was a gang working at Schiphol until last year when they were all rounded up and prosecuted thanks to hidden cameras, dummy luggage and a few other things which weren't revealed in public. Not to say there aren't any thieves there now, but the security is pretty tight now in the baggage handling hall.

lincasanova

takes a second.. they are fast. practicing all day.

roadbus

In my opinion shrink-wrapping your luggage as a deterrent is a waste of time as customs will open your bag if they need to.

I just spent 5 euros to wrap my bag for the first time only because it started to rip and didn't want the bag to open up while in transit.

In conclusion I think it's a good idea to wrap your bag if you are looking to protect it from ripping otherwise you are wasting your money.

lincasanova

yes, but won't it protect it before it reaches customs?
I saw someone use their own saran wrap. .. besides looking ridiculous, maybe it's not such a bad idea. Then you can re-wrap after US customs and connecting flight!

hetismij2

Plastic wrapping works, and also prevents things from being added to your bag.

Of course on arrival in the US, or on departure from there TSA can rip it off and leave your bag vulnerable. They don't re-seal it.

Christina

I saw people doing this in Madrid, also, and I thought the reason they were doing it was just to make sure their bags didn't burst or fall apart and they didn't lose things from them. A lot of the people doing it seemed to have really large suitcases that were bursting at the seams, in any case.

I don't know why a thief would care if you could tell that they had cut your electrical tie-downs on your suitcase. Really, why would they care about that, they are a thief. Besides, security could do it, also, if they felt they needed to check something in your bag.

I don't have much of value in my bags, but it seemed to me they are examined a lot by security and I speculate it may be because I usually have a paperback book in one outer pocket. I can tell they've been in there sometimes, and I wonder if that solid rectangular thing looks funny to them on those screening machines or something. Maybe it's just coincidence.

kappa1

I have noticed the wrapping buisness and wrapped suite cases also in mostly at Madrid and Barcelona. But have not seen such in Swiss airports ( where I depart from ) or I have not paid attention, I don't know. Mostly popular in Spain? Maybe I saw in Prague? Am not sure.

bilboburgler

It's kind of the thing they do in the third world. If you want to follow the "under radar" process I recommend buy tatty luggage, beat them up and ensure that no branding exists.

My father used this technique for many years and would replace even handles with rope lashings, add canvas to the outside of bags and use safety pins to hold bags together. Never had anything stolen....

november_moon

Another benefit of bag wrapping - in very rainy climates, if the bags have to sit out on the tarmac waiting to be loaded onto the plane, the plastic wrapping could save your checked luggage from getting soaked in a downpour. That happened to us a couple months ago in New Orleans - when we arrived home, our checked luggage was almost entirely soaked through.

gardendiva

Since they no longer allow locks on your luggage, I use zip ties to keep the zippers closed. If TSA opens your bag they will put a sticker on the bag or a card in the bag. I know that it is very easy for the baggage handlers to cut the ties and open the luggage but my rationale is that they will go for the unprotected bag first as it will take less time. I never put anything of values in the luggage just get creeped out by someone touching my unmentionables.

A friend of mine did not use the zip ties one trip at Christmas. I had sent some of my homemade fudge home with him. When he was unpacking his luggage he noticed that someone had opened the box of fudge and ate most of it and put the box back in his luggage. Yuck!

lincasanova

good thought, november_moon