Do you lock your luggage?

[Espada III]

For several years now, I have sent luggage through into the hold without locking it. Whether it be direct non-stop from Manchester or via various European airports, never had a problem with anything stolen (I am tempting fate here I know) and no damage to zips. Serious valuables go in hand luggage.

What risks do I face if I continue to do this. Would I be asked by my insurance company if the suitcase was locked before they paid out a claim for stolen goods? Most locks are cheap rubbish anyway which the average child could probably defeat given a few minutes.

What do you do?

[TOWTEAMBASE]

Depending on the suitcase type, locked or not, the are accessible. I have witnessed customs open cases with a biro to check for contraband, before doing them back up again, passenger unaware. So locked or not, if someone wants in, they will get in. The only way to be certain nowadays is the good ol shrink wrap

[Hotel Tango]

I lock my suitcase yet I'm under no illusion whatsoever that it will prevent theft. So why do I do it? I have no idea!

[PAXboy]

The lock is against the casual thief and, if the case is dropped by the taxi driver, slightly less likely to crash open and spill the contents on the pavement. :mad:

In the rain. :hmm:

With a wind blowing so you have to chase things down the street. :uhoh:

[parabellum]

A practiced thief can open most suitcases, including the 'hard' ones, like Samsonite, in the space of a few minutes, a motor cycle wheel spoke will knock the hinge out of a Samsonite or a Delsey in a few seconds, hands in, feel for valuables, like cameras, wallets etc. hands out, hinge back in. Zips, as mentioned, with a biro, (see on Youtube). The best, but not perfect defence, without using the shrink-wrap method, is a strong strap that does NOT have the easy click in fastener but has the old fashioned buckle or similar fastener, unless they cut the strap, leaving evidence, straps are just too much trouble as there are a lot of easier pickings.

[TOWTEAMBASE]

So if you know any baggage handlers that go to work on a motorbike, and they have the odd spoke missing......you've found your culprit ;-)

[Lantern10]

I use cable ties, but I really don't know why I bother, after seeing the You-tube vid re opening zips with a pen.

[750XL]

I put a padlock on my cases, absolutely no idea why, though.

Work at an airport and know just how easy it is to open a case, or how easily they can 'pop open' in the baggage systems or when being handled!

[Sunnyjohn]

We use a set of Eagle Creek baggage and since the baggage itself is worth more than the contents, we don't bother!

[Jonhunter]

Cable tie through the zip, then wrapped around a convenient handle, etc.

I have heard that there is a gang using the "biro trick" to smuggle in packages of drugs to uk airports, basically they plant a package in your bag in Jamaica, then when you get to the other end, you pick up your bag then when clear of the airport, someone robs your bag. Obviously, if you get stopped by customs before the other side, you are the one that gets done for it, zero risk to the actual gang as "yes, this is my bag, yes, I packed it myself"

Jon

[TightSlot]

I don't, whether travelling as crew or passenger. I figure that if they want to get in they will, and this way I might get the suitcase back intact, including some of the contents. I never have anything more valuable than clothing in my checked baggage.

When I first joined an airline, there was one bit of advice that stuck: I was told never to travel with a soft or zipper suitcase, but to always use a hard shell - this was because you can't sit on a soft suitcase so easily while waiting (too true) and that zippers break and soft cases don't protect to the same extent. You're free to disagree as this is not definitive: My Mother, for example, swears blind that I am wrong and that soft zippers are preferable because they expand - but then she doesn't travel that much and hasn't seen what happens to bags in the undercroft!

[Sunnyjohn]

This is not a plug but we've had our Eagle Creek zipped baggage for about ten years and never had a problem. It does, however, also have reinforcing straps but it is 'soft' baggage.

[ExXB]

TS - My checked luggage for the last 30 years has been hard shelled Samsonite.

This conclusion results from the day I had working as a ramp rat (My company's ones had honoured another unions picket line). Bulk loaded bags in B737s and DC8s - container loaded for DC10s. We tried to be nice to soft bags, but that wasn't always possible.

Also (slight thread drift) - when unloading onto carousels were were taught to put the bags a certain way up, so the luggage handles would be facing the passengers when it came out. This appears to be a lost art, as I rarely see this, from the land side.

[Shytehawk]

Sunny John,

I have just had my Eagle Creek briefcase replaced and I am about to send my Eagle Creek replacement suitcase to be replaced again. They cost a king's ransom to purchase and now a queen's ransom in return postage.

This is also not a plug for Eagle Creek.

[Piltdown Man]

Hard shell Samsonite cases with a combination locks can be opened in a few minutes flat without damage and then relocked. Without other security measures, the owner would be totally unaware that they have been opened.

PM

[ExXB]

In addition to the combination lock there are two other locks secured by a key. That ads at least 15 seconds or so to the time necessary to get into them. But it does them no good.

The only thing of value that I put in checked bags are things I can't carry on. Swiss Army knives, fine wine, whiskey and other similar liquids. This happens on few flights and I have never had anything to missing, yet.

[PAXboy]

Hard shell Samsonite cases with a combination locks can be opened in a few minutes flat without damage and then relocked.
Yup - it's to stop the amateurs and the taxi drivers. Nothing more.

[Heathrow Harry]

fill your luggage with dirty underwear - make them pay a price....................

[Load Toad]

I've never found it especially difficult to lock & unlock my Carlton which has been travelling with me faithfully since 1994. It's wheels have long gone and it looks worse for wear but it's not let me down - & if it has been opened no one has ever found owt worth taking inside.

[Sunnyjohn]

Sorry to read that Shytehawk. I can only speak as I find! Eagle Creek do bang on about a lifetime guarantee and my view is that they should be prepared to pay postage both ways. I suspect they work it on the basis that most people won't bother to send the whole thing back because of the postage, which is extortionate from the US to the rest of the world. Of course, I may be doing them a complete injustice. . .

[fwjc]

I "lock" my luggage with a ring like the ones you get on a keying. I attach both zips to it to stop it from opening accidentally but is cheaper than a lock and no keys to lose, plus it's reusable unlike a tie-wrap.

[chrismoose]

I have a cheap combination padlock that I lock my luggage with. It's more because of a slight paranoia about it coming open during transit than anything else.

[TightSlot]

I'm curious how all of these "home-made" methods cope with TSA requirements?

[Rwy in Sight]

You can allways use dental flosh (?) if you suddenly feel like locking the luggage and no padlocks are available.

[DaveReidUK]

I'm curious how all of these "home-made" methods cope with TSA requirements?

AFAIK, the TSA don't have any requirements.

They advise use of a TSA-approved lock (which they are able to open), but that's not mandatory - if they want to get into your case and can't open the lock, they will simply cut it off.

Baggage Locks | Transportation Security Administration (http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/baggage-locks)

[OverRun]

Sadly some airports are more prone than others to 'accidental' suitcase opening. I dread transitting Johannesburg.

[PAXboy]

South Africa is one of the places where shrink wrap is worth the cost and time in the queue!

[Limeygal]

Never lock my case-as others have said would rather get an undamaged case back. Never pack anything that I can't afford to lose. Anything I would miss I hand carry-never take jewellery with me other than earrings I wear and a watch

[parabellum]

I think the argument for securing zips etc. is a good one, many is the time I have felt sorry for the owner of the case that proceeds sedately around the carousel distributing their underclothes and other items in a not so neat line!

[RevMan2]

Rimowa aluminium suitcase - TSA comination lock with hi-vis tape around the case
Soft luggage: cable ties with hi-vis tape around the case.
Never anything of value in the bags.
It's just like protecting your house from burglars: raise the threshhold so that they don't bother with your place and rob the neighbour's....

[Squadronbrat]

You'd all lock your luggage if you had seen a loader in the bulk hold wearing someone's g-string on his head. Not a pretty image....

[beamender99]

The best, but not perfect defence, without using the shrink-wrap method, is a strong strap that does NOT have the easy click in fastener but has the old fashioned buckle or similar fastener, unless they cut the strap, leaving evidence, straps are just too much trouble as there are a lot of easier pickings. I like the easy click in fasteners!!
I have a collection of them, all obtained like strays, off the carousel when the clik has come undone.
I cut off the click bits and just tie them on my Delsey.
The only down side is that too many are the same rainbow colours.
To simplify things I paint the hubs of the wheels a bright colour so that I have a better chance of pulling off MY case.

My biggest problem to date was when SWMBO attached yellow cardboard lugage tags.
Some short sighted or thick crew member pulled my case off thinking it was one of theirs, and rather than replace it the hid it around the corner ensuring that eventually I was the last guy at an empty carousel. Thanks crew!!.

[YorkshireTyke]

To simplify things I paint the hubs of the wheels a bright colour so that I have a better chance of pulling off MY case.

'cept you can't get near enough to grab it 'cos of all the numpties in front of you with their toes to the belt waiting for theirs.

They advise use of a TSA-approved lock (which they are able to open)

.........and frequently do, and I've had them put the case back after opening it without replacing THEIR type of lock, so not only do they steal a perfectly good lock, they put the case on totally unsecured. Has happened to me twice at LAX. Security ? - don't make me laugh.

[AR1]

I used to lock mine, then i bought a TSA lock and US customs cut it off.... so now i dont bother.

[Carry0nLuggage]

I used to have a have a TSA lock until it was cropped off at either LHR or BLR so don't bother anymore. The most I'll do is TyRap or possibly tape on zipper pullers so I know if the bag has been opened. Fasten the zip to one end, not the middle so if someone tries the Biro cap trick they can't rezip the bag.

Since a lot of my travelling has been done with rucksacks I prefer soft luggage. They don't burst when dropped and when packed properly make a comfy seat.

[baggersup]

I'm with you. When TSA announced that they could open any luggage they needed to open for security purposes, I loaded up on the special TSA locks with the combo and the key opening in which their key fits.

After a few domestic flights and two international flights.. that was those locks done for. They all disappeared one by one off the case. And as I had no written notice from TSA left inside that they had opened my suitcase, I presumed they were just torn off in transit.

Ever since, it's been zipped closed with no locks. Can't fight city hall. :{

[GAZ45]

I flew Delta Orlando > Atlanta > Heathrow.

I went away for more flight training and had taken marmite (as I love it), so I could have some breakfast pleasure each morning. Had half the jar left so popped it in my hold luggage.

Locked my case, and when I got home I realised that the lock had been broken off the case, and the marmite had been taken from the luggage (nothing else thankfully). US security must have thought it was something strange when the case was undergoing X-ray - fair enough - but I at least would of thought they'd have been obliged to leave an official note to say my case had been checked (?!)

[PAXboy]

The TSA is obliged to leave a note but - since they are the security kings, the rules might not apply to them! :rolleyes: