Padlocking/shrinkwrapping luggage for flights to USA

[cssaus]

I recently purchased a bunch of Samsonite TSA-approved combination padlocks.

The advantage with these is that the TSA have a special access key to open them should they decide to inspect your baggage. What's neat about them is that they have a coloured bar that turns red if they have been opened by the TSA.

And the obvious disadvantage is that the bad guys also need only one key to open whatever bag they want... we call this a single point of failure 8)

Your absolutely correct, no-one has said that there is a perfect solution covering the securing the contents of one's suitcase. However, having some form of locking mechanism is better than none and then it's a case of how comfortable you feel with the options available.

Each to their own.

 

[danielh]

Well I just got the Travel Sentry Certified KORJO 3 combo lock in the Duty Free Section of the Melb Airport.

It cost AU$19.95 everywhere else but the locks I saw had a sign that said AU$12.95 over it.

I asked the guy at the counter when I passed him the locks if they were the AU$19.95 that was on the sticker on the back of the pack or AU$12.95. He said I could have it for AU$12.95 so I said give me two.

If I need any more I can mail order it in the US for free from one of those sites Lindsay put up earlier.

Regards
Daniel

PS: Pity they were not the 4 combo kind.

PPS: I ended up not locking my suitcase when I checked it in.

 

[Groundfeeder]

Just do what a lot have done and fill it with snakes - preferably nasty venomous ones which Oz has a surplus of.

Downside is convincing Customs and Quarantine that they are purely a defensive mechanism. Oh, and you must remember how many you packed so you don't end up with one emerging from your dinner suit at an inappropriate time (no trouser snake jokes please).

 

[Yada Yada]

I think it all comes down to a level of security you want to have. If you travel to certain countries and someone manages to slip something in your bag... basically you're stuffed

How would you rate the likelihood of this happening? My wife worries because I travel to Asia 3-4 times a year, and fears that "bad people" might be looking for an opportunity to slip something into carry-on luggage when pax are asleep. I feel that this is unlikely (e.g. how do they get their "goods" back?), but I guess it is possible.

 

[QF WP]

They ring their shadowy associates (who are waiting outside in the Arrivals Hall) when they're walking to Customs - firstly advising them what you look like, type and colour of your hand luggage.

Then they try and keep as close to you as possible and also report through what suitcase(s) you have.

The associates then collar you outside and mug you...take the goods and run to their waiting car.

Enough of my fetid imagination....

 

[Maca44]

Locks are only to stop the honest people, and if someone wants to get into your bag they will do it. I mentioned in another thread that I use the small plastic cable ties to secure the locks/zippers on my bag and I don't know if its a scene from dumber and dumber, but I also put a pair of nail clippers in the small side (unlocked) pocket so I can remove the ties on arrival. Although some might not consider this a smart decision, the main reason I secure the locks/zippers in this manner is to prevent someone placing anything in it and not to protect my valuables as any valuables (mainly camera etc) would go in carry on. property. The ties are very hard to remove by hand so anyone wanted to get past the cable ties would have a pair of cutters in any event.

 

[NM]

There are two risks to be mitigated:

• Someone removing something from your bag
• Someone adding something to you bag

I expect the first is by far the most commonly experienced by travellers. In fact, I can only think of one case where it has been claimed the second was the case.

My first mitigation for the first point is not to carry anything in my checked luggage that is not easily replaced by my travel insurance, or of no consequence to me if it does go missing.

The second is such a rare case that it is difficult to know how much effort the mitigation should require.

The only time I have had a problem with things going missing was when my bag arrived delayed (and hence unaccompanied) into KBP (Kiev). The things that went missing were a large bottle of shampoo, two bags of Caramello Koalas and a pack of 20 clip-on Koala toys we were taking as gifts. All up about $10 in value. Disappointing, but not a major loss.

For travel through the USA, I just use cable ties. Once the TSA has cut one to get inside (they left a note to say they had inspected it) and they then locked my bag using a padlock that was left inside one of the small pockets. Its a good thing they also left the key in the unlocked pocket so I could unlock it once I received the bag. I was very surprised to see my bag locked with my own padlock that I had not installed!

I also make sure that when I pack my bag there is nothing that will likely raise suspicion during an x-ray. That means I put things like cables (I carry a few network cables with me on most trips) in an outside pocket and not in the main body of the bag. My bag usually only contains clothes - and maybe the odd pack of Tim Tams .

 

[robertz]

The only time I have had a problem with things going missing was when my bag arrived delayed (and hence unaccompanied) into KBP (Kiev). The things that went missing were a large bottle of shampoo, two bags of Caramello Koalas and a pack of 20 clip-on Koala toys we were taking as gifts. All up about $10 in value. Disappointing, but not a major loss.

Pity you didnt report it.
Im sure a Ukrainian(?) walking down the street with 20 clip-on Drop Bears eating Caremello Koalas isnt to hard to find.. 8)

Rob

 

[NM]

Pity you didnt report it.
Im sure a Ukrainian(?) walking down the street with 20 clip-on Drop Bears eating Caremello Koalas isnt to hard to find.. 8)

Rob

Well it was obvious that it happened at KBP airport by the customs inspectors. And given that we had to depart through the same airport 3 days later, we decided that reporting the loss was not a wise action until after we had left the country.

I am sure the same customs inspectors could have made our departure process much less pleasant if they wanted to. The sound of rubber gloves slapping was not something that appealed to me, and they could very easily just delay us at the outbound customs checkpoint until we missed our flight, and of course we have no recourse at all.

Justice in Ukraine is not always what we would like it to be! But its their country and their laws, and I was just a visitor. So we just accepted that what happened was the way things work in Ukraine.