Not allowed to lock suitcases travelling from the USA?!?!

[Disneybub]

Hey all, just got a quick question to see of anyone else has come across this issue.

Relatives of mine have just come back from Disney (Flying from London Gatwick to Sanford.) and when they were travelling out they were advised that no longer were you able to lock on your return flight??
When they questioned it they were told this is a new US security procedure are cases locked would have the locks cut off.

But i bring a lot of stuff home with me as i can imagine all you Disneyholics do, and i dont want to risk stuff getting stolen.

But has anyone else come across not being able to lock their suitcases on a return flight???

Thank you.

 

[WDW Monorail]

This has been like this for a while. If you want to lock your luggage, make sure that you use a TSA certified lock.

 

[Disneybub]

make sure that you use a TSA certified lock.

Thank you, Are they safe i've heard about them but im not sure if i want just ANYONE having a key??

 

[Bug715]

This was put into practice a few years ago. There is a certian kind of lock you can use that the security people have a key to. I just looked at the website of the store where I got mine. I think the brand is Travel Sentry. Yup that's the brand. Here is their website http://www.travelsentry.org/

 

[AndreainNY]

We have the TSA approved locks and have used them for several trips to/from Disney. To date, we have not had any issues with anything being taken. We also go one step further though - we tend to put a lot of our trinkets in the bottom of one suitcase, put a plastic bag down, then cover the top with our dirty laundry! We figure a few layers of sweaty clothes will discourage most people from digging down too deep!!!

 

[rwdavis2]

Keep in mind that TSA should put a notice in your bag if they opened and inspected it. TSA locks also have indicators if they have been opened by security. I haven't lost anything yet and TSA has even re-taped a box of wine I had stowed in my luggage when returning from California.
Bob

 

[Bluewaves]

Or try the Sharper Image I bought my travel locks from them a few yers ago.

 

[Mystic]

I just bought TSA approved locks from LL Bean.

But as to your question about locking suitcases, this is what we were told by security at Orlando International. When you are checking your luggage, don't just hand it over and walk away. Stay and watch your luggage go through the scanner. If they put it directly on the conveyor belt then go ahead and proceed to your flight. If they place it off to the side, stay there as it will be searched. This way if your suitcase is locked you can unlock it for them. If you are not there, then they will cut the locks off. Basically you need to stay in the immediate area of the luggage check and make sure it is put on the conveyor belt before you leave to head to your flight.

 

[shoppingnut]

I have TSA approved combination locks that has an indicator if the lock has been opened and have had no problems with using it or the tsa approved key lock.

wwe_princess - Did you honestly think that the locks that were previously used before now were any safer. If someone really wants to get into your luggage, they will. Basically the locks are just a deterrent because most thiefs want to be able to get in/out of the luggage quickly, so they'd bypass you luggage for someone without locks.

Mystic - what security might tell you and what TSA policy is can be two different things. The area where they scan you bags you can't go inside and I'm sure that they are not going to pay much attention to you as stand there and yell I have the key don't cut it off. In fact, by you standing there may increase the likelihood of them going through your luggage.

 

[Mystic]

Mystic - what security might tell you and what TSA policy is can be two different things. The area where they scan you bags you can't go inside and I'm sure that they are not going to pay much attention to you as stand there and yell I have the key don't cut it off. In fact, by you standing there may increase the likelihood of them going through your luggage.

That is NOT true. For your information on our last trip through Orlando international, both my suitcase and my mother's were put aside for inspection. We stood just off to the side until we saw the TSA agent put them up on the table, which is when we stepped up to the table. She asked us if we had keys, which we handed over without question. She was quite pleasant about the whole thing and thanked me for having the keys handy. Standing there is not going to change whether or not they check your luggagae since it's a random decision as the bags come through the scanner.

And when I said it was Security that told me, I wasn't referring to general security. I meant it was a TSA agent at the screening location. I guess I didn't make myself clear on that point.

 

[shoppingnut]

That is NOT true. For your information on our last trip through Orlando international, both my suitcase and my mother's were put aside for inspection. We stood just off to the side until we saw the TSA agent put them up on the table, which is when we stepped up to the table. She asked us if we had keys, which we handed over without question. She was quite pleasant about the whole thing and thanked me for having the keys handy. Standing there is not going to change whether or not they check your luggagae since it's a random decision as the bags come through the scanner.

And when I said it was Security that told me, I wasn't referring to general security. I meant it was a TSA agent at the screening location. I guess I didn't make myself clear on that point.

The fact that it WAS TSA security that told you this makes a huge difference. While you did get an agent that was nice and all, don't count on that happening every time, some agents are down right nasty and on a power trip.

 

[WDW Monorail]

While a prelimenary check is done before the bags are scanned, the larger search will be done after they are scanned. Now is one they swab your bag and check for explosive residue.

Don't know what you're getting at since security usually can't see into the bag to find something suspicious until after it is scanned.

You are right that you can watch security open and search your bag but a more in depth search is done after it is scanned.

 

[COProgressFan]

The fact that it WAS TSA security that told you this makes a huge difference. While you did get an agent that was nice and all, don't count on that happening every time, some agents are down right nasty and on a power trip.

This is true -- last year at MCO, the TSA agent told us to immediately step away from the area after handing over our bags. We had no intention of hanging around the area anyway, but apparently we didn't move fast enough for him... :shrug:

CoP

 

[Nemo14]

In Providence, we have to wait til the bags go through the scanner. In Orlando, however, we have been told not to by TSA. We generally do, howeer, but try to stay out of the way.

 

[gibsonc]

I have never bothered locking my bags. My view is that if you go to the trouble of locking your bag it indicates that there might be something of value worth taking rather than a bag which is not locked.

The locks you usually get with most cases are usually so poor it would hardly require any effort to break them off anyway.

If its just a case of wanting to make sure the bag stays closed use a plastic cable tie.

 

[mousermerf]

Just a note:

All airports are different.

Just this week in Ohio they had the scanners for checked luggage out in plain sight and each airline sent them through and then off to where ever.

In Tampa, bags dissapear behind a mysterious wall. Things are rarely checked before being tossed on the conveyor.

In Gatwick, bags get sucked into holes in yet another mysterious wall, but agents wont let you put anything there before asking a million questions.

In Chicago at Midway the bags ride down a long conveyor protected by ticket agents before dissapearing into a hole.

In Newark bags sat in huge piles, near a conveyor, with agents directing you to a pile based on your flight destination and departure. When a flight time came nearer, they loaded the bags in groups.

So.. long and short.. bags are treated differently everywhere. TSA reserves the right to snip off non-approved locks for flights originating from the US.

 

[shoppingnut]

I have never bothered locking my bags. My view is that if you go to the trouble of locking your bag it indicates that there might be something of value worth taking rather than a bag which is not locked.

The locks you usually get with most cases are usually so poor it would hardly require any effort to break them off anyway.

If its just a case of wanting to make sure the bag stays closed use a plastic cable tie.

These new locks are nothing like the ones that come with the luggage, just take a look http://www.luggageonline.com/product.cfm?product_ID=2852.

I lock my bags now because I've heard of too many people that have had things taken from their bags that weren't locked. My view is thiefs want easy access and not spend a lot of time removing a lock, so will move on to a bad that isn't locked.

 

[mousermerf]

I lock my bags with approved locks and have had TSA search them a few times - well, not me, my smaller bags are usually left alone, but my travel-mate's giant suitcase is often searched.

Also, anything oddly sized or large will be searched if it wont fit through the scanner - thus my friend's bag probably doesn't always fit, and also things like drafting portfolios get hand searched (had that happen, knew i would happen, had it covered with "FRAGILE" stickers just in case).

 

[Rob562]

One other point is that the locks that *are* TSA-certified are usually guaranteed by the manufacturer. If for any reason they are cut off by the TSA (which I've heard of a couple incidents where either the TSA employee didn't notice the symbol or there was only one set of keys that were at the other end of the airport and they didn't want to wait), if you send the cut locks back to the manufacturer, they will replace them for free.

-Rob

 

[mousermerf]

I use really simply 3-digit turn-wheel-thingy TSA locks I got from Target. I use the same 3-digit number all the locks and i dont have to worry about losing keys.

They also sell TSA approved straps.. but i've yet to figure out what those actually do. Why do people use luggage straps?