Stolen baggage/opened bags
A colleague of mine just flew San Diego - Heathrow - Stockholm. In his checked in bag was his hypodermic and arthritis medicine in the thermal insulation bag. (problems if you carry it in hand baggage!)His bag was delayed and was opened on arrival because it was unaccompanied: customs wouldn't let it go because of the medicine for some time. Now, if he'd locked the bag and it had been broken open, do the airline pay? After all they lost it. Whose responsibility is it if the medicine is needed urgently?
And in the US, where bags cannot be locked because of the TSA, whose is responsible for theft from the unlocked bag?
I suspect it's a case of the traveller isn't allowed to take precautions over their baggage but does pay for any loss....