Missing padlocks on baggage
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Tracey Island
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Cable ties show you that your baggage has actually been entered and not just the padlock falling/being wrenched off.
The point is that you are making it difficult for would be thieves. Look at the zip video and you will realise that the thieves do not even need to take off the padlocks.
The fact remains that the vast majority of lost padlocks are because they have not really manufactured one completely up to the job.
The point is that you are making it difficult for would be thieves. Look at the zip video and you will realise that the thieves do not even need to take off the padlocks.
The fact remains that the vast majority of lost padlocks are because they have not really manufactured one completely up to the job.
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: UK
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Cable ties show you that your baggage has actually been entered and not just the padlock falling/being wrenched off.
The point is that you are making it difficult for would be thieves. Look at the zip video and you will realise that the thieves do not even need to take off the padlocks.
The fact remains that the vast majority of lost padlocks are because they have not really manufactured one completely up to the job.
The point is that you are making it difficult for would be thieves. Look at the zip video and you will realise that the thieves do not even need to take off the padlocks.
The fact remains that the vast majority of lost padlocks are because they have not really manufactured one completely up to the job.
Any recommendations on luggage? I was thinking of getting one of the hard type cases instead of a fabric one, or does it make no difference security-wise?
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Milton Keynes
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I work in baggage systems and to be honest the padlocks are too small and too weak, they break far too easily and get snagged on the conveyors. I see them strewn all over the place.
In the UK no one is allowed to open a bag without the police present, and to be honest I have never seen anyone do so without them there. It is just not worth the risk, if anyone did open a bag there are plenty of people around willing to report the fact.
Soft luggage is best, some of the systems are very violent and use pushers that I have seen completely smash a Samsonite case, They may be hard, but they are no good at taking an impact. Soft bags take an impact quite well.
If your bag (and its contents) can take a 3 foot drop onto a solid floor it will survive any UK airport.
Worst issues are.
Wheely type cases. Wheels roll on conveyors, handles that fall open and get snagged. Make sure your handle retracts properly and please make sure the check in desk puts it on the conveyor wheels up.
Soft round bags, roll all over the place.
Steel Camera bags, always end up in Level 3 and hence get damaged, inspected more.
If your worried about the bag, put it into the out of gauge line, these bags are looked after a little more than those that go straight through the system.
In the UK no one is allowed to open a bag without the police present, and to be honest I have never seen anyone do so without them there. It is just not worth the risk, if anyone did open a bag there are plenty of people around willing to report the fact.
Soft luggage is best, some of the systems are very violent and use pushers that I have seen completely smash a Samsonite case, They may be hard, but they are no good at taking an impact. Soft bags take an impact quite well.
If your bag (and its contents) can take a 3 foot drop onto a solid floor it will survive any UK airport.
Worst issues are.
Wheely type cases. Wheels roll on conveyors, handles that fall open and get snagged. Make sure your handle retracts properly and please make sure the check in desk puts it on the conveyor wheels up.
Soft round bags, roll all over the place.
Steel Camera bags, always end up in Level 3 and hence get damaged, inspected more.
If your worried about the bag, put it into the out of gauge line, these bags are looked after a little more than those that go straight through the system.
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Edinburgh
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Reading Call100's post and viewing the YouTube video - YouTube - Opening Baggage Without A Key - was quite scary - particularly as someone might use the method to stash something in your case, never mind stealing anything. I also saw this - Luggage Security Tags, Luggage Tampering Prevention, Luggage Security Products, Luggage Tampering Protection, Security System - there which, although quite pricey, seems to get around this zip opening scam. While on YouTube have a look at some of the other lock-opening methods. The combination one in particular.
Thanks for the detailed post and useful info Blacklace. For the uninitiated can you explain what you mean by Level 3 please? 
Join Date: Oct 2008
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I have used small cable ties for years (small size about 3" long) When Flying Man to Antigua recently 3 were found in my hand baggage and removed "as they could be used as a restraint" Yeah - for a ball point pen !! anyway they missed the 20 I had in my jacket pocket !! Even I didnt realise they were there till I was on the aircraft.
Join Date: Jan 2007
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Thanks for the detailed post and useful info Blacklace. For the uninitiated can you explain what you mean by Level 3 please?
There are 5 levels of security check on baggage. All after the bags are checked in and away from the passenger.
Level 1. This is an automatic decision by an x ray machine. These are not the kind you are used to seeing, but are very expensive and accurate machines, they x ray the bags very quickly and make an automatic pass/fail decision. These machines consider anything a fail, the bag has to be 100% clean to get past it. Any explosives/metal/biological material will cause a fail, including the wires on bras. If your bag passes, it goes straight onto the plane.
Level 2. The image from a failed level 1 bag is sent to a control room where an operator gets to view the image to see why it failed at Level 1. Normally the fail was because of things like wires in bras etc, so the operator can make a pass decision before the bag reaches a certain point and without interrupting the flow of bags. If he makes a pass decision the level 1 decision is considered overruled and the bag goes on the plane, if he feels the bag needs further inspection he makes a fail decision, the bag is then diverted off the main line and into the Level 3 area.
Level 3. At this point the bag arrives at a second X ray machine, a bit more powerful than the level 1 machine, here an operator has no time constraints, he can x ray the bag as many times as he wants and take as much time as he needs to make sure the bag is clean, if he passes it it goes on the plane, if he considers it needs further investigation he will fail it and then it goes to Level 4.
Level 4. Now the police are called and the bag is opened with the police present, if the item was an innocent mistake or an object was harmless when in fact it looked suspicious then the bag is resealed and a label added to inform the passenger that the bag was opened and inspected with the police present but was found to be harmless. The bag is then put on the plane. If there is a definite threat then the bag is considered a Level 5 bag.
Level 5. A definite threat has been detected. The passenger is removed from the plane and taken away to be questioned by the police. He is not going to fly on that day.
Join Date: Jul 2008
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I fasten the two zips of my one together with a keyring. Not the whole thing, just the actual 'ring' part. Secure, but needs no tools to get it off. Easy.
Thanks for the detailed reply Blackace. With all that going on mutiplied by the number of bags being handled, it makes me wonder how any flight gets away on time.
Join Date: May 2010
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Those cheap combination padlocks can be easily opened and i noticed a guy who can do the trick in 90 seconds. Besides, the TSA is not easy to use. And I just bought a suitcase with TSA lock. I tried to reprogram the 3 digit code from it's default 0-0-0 code. I thought I already followed the instructions but it couldn't open. I have tried all the combinations but still could not open it. I nearly get crazy about the lock and decide to change a robust padlock that won't get lost or opened at ease.
Join Date: Jan 2007
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As I said in the earlier post the padlock makes no difference to the security of your baggage from organised theft...It just makes it difficult for opportunists......
Paxing All Over The World
Thank you very much Blackace, most informative and appreciate the trouble you took to explain the system. Whilst I'm sure that TS (doffs cap) is busy, it's the kind of info that might benefit the FAQ.
Join Date: Sep 1999
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and consider your Eco credentials when contemplating covering your luggage in swaiths of plastic.
Mutt
In the UK no one is allowed to open a bag without the police present
customs can. they can even enter your house
at our airport untill recently when they got a new scanner they had to hand search 1 in 10 bags
Paxing All Over The World
I think that what Blackace meant was:
In the UK no one is allowed to open a bag without a statutory body being present.
HMR&C are, of course, a statutory body.
In the UK no one is allowed to open a bag without a statutory body being present.
HMR&C are, of course, a statutory body.
Join Date: Dec 2009
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I have long ago stopped putting items that give a good x-ray image of themselves into hold luggage, cigs and booze being the main items of concern for me – the chances of them not making it home with me in my experience are best described as good.
It’s become a fact of life for me (based on my own costly experience) that valuables are all too often nicked.
It’s become a fact of life for me (based on my own costly experience) that valuables are all too often nicked.
Paxing All Over The World
Snas
As Blackace said: In the UK ... 
It’s become a fact of life for me (based on my own costly experience) that valuables are all too often nicked.