Wrapping luggage

[1of4]

I use hard sided Samsonite luggage with no zippers. I call them "flying buckets". After having items stolen in Boston by "authorities" who were nice enough to leave a note but then never answer their phone, I learned never to trust anybody and have never used zippered luggage again. I lost over $100 of baby clothes bought for our daughter.

 

No need to wrap our luggage and in over 10 years it has never been opened by any cruise line or country we have been to. It is not the lightest luggage but it lasts and gives me peace of mind.

[RuthC]

I use hard sided Samsonite luggage with no zippers.

I have seen hard-sided luggage with built in TSA locks, and have considered it for my next luggage purchase.

 

I do have to wonder, though, how TSA will manage to break those locks. Doing so could ruin the entire suitcase---and of course, TSA never accepts responsibility.

[1of4]

I have seen hard-sided luggage with built in TSA locks, and have considered it for my next luggage purchase.

 

I do have to wonder, though, how TSA will manage to break those locks. Doing so could ruin the entire suitcase---and of course, TSA never accepts responsibility.

 

Our luggage has a built in lock which we only used on our last vacation. There is a TSA approved key which they can use so no padlock style lock. We do use a luggage strap though.

 

we have 3 pieces, identical in size. Two red (the oldest) and once orange with 4 wheels which is over 2 years old. They look something like this:

 

 

 

 

There is nearly nothing inside, which is why I call them buckets. But they have served us well. No zipper, no prying open and weather tight.

[whogo]

I do have to wonder, though, how TSA will manage to break those locks. Doing so could ruin the entire suitcase---and of course, TSA never accepts responsibility.

"TSA pays millions for bag claims." 50,000 claims made, 15,000 claims paid, 300 TSA employees fired for theft per this USA Today article: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/07/02/tsa-damage-tops-3m/29353815/

[OVgirl]

You are correct that we did not see who dropped our suitcase. All I know is that between the time we put it outside our cabin in the evening and picking it up in the terminal the next morning, it had been dropped and both the zipper was broken and a corner was completely smashed. It was a HAL employee that told us to wrap it at the airport and then send in a claim to Seattle. This was in Civitavecchia.

 

We were quite happy shrink wrapping it at the airport. I have not seen this offered at airports at home, but perhaps they have it available somewhere out of sight.

 

Have you had any luck with your claim?

 

It was not a new suitcase, so we told them what we had initially paid and how old it was. They prorated a value and sent us a check. We were satisfied with their response and refund.

[Sequim88]

To keep luggage dry when it is raining at airport or pier

 

Might help too if they drop the luggage off the pier into the water. :eek:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2133787

[cb at sea]

There is no law that says you MUST use TSA locks...we use keyed Master locks....never been bothered.

[Tampa Girl]

There is no law that says you MUST use TSA locks...we use keyed Master locks....never been bothered.

 

No, but if TSA wants to get in, they don't have a key. Guess what can happen. Balanced against the danger of possible damage to the luggage, it is probably a matter of whether one thinks the marauder is going to be a TSA worker or a port worker. The TSA lock may deter a non-TSA worker, but a non-TSA lock may deter either worker.

[avian777]

... I do have to wonder, though, how TSA will manage to break those locks. Doing so could ruin the entire suitcase---and of course, TSA never accepts responsibility.

 

Right you are, and that is why TSA rules caution against use of non-approved locking mechanisms. If TSA needs to open your luggage, the TSA agents will do whatever is necessary to get in, including cutting into the bag itself. Since TSA has made its rules so clear and understandable, I am left to wonder why anyone would use non-approved locking mechanisms and then complain when his/her luggage is damaged by TSA agents who are just doing their jobs ... just curious ...

[avian777]

There is no law that says you MUST use TSA locks...we use keyed Master locks....never been bothered.

 

Right you are ... just don't expect TSA to reimburse you when your non-approved locking mechanism and/or luggage is damaged or destroyed by TSA agents attempting to open your Maser-locked luggage.

[RuthC]

Right you are, and that is why TSA rules caution against use of non-approved locking mechanisms.

Don't know why you quoted me, since I posted my experience, which was the TSA destroying/losing TSA approved locks.

Maybe they should be warning against using those, too? I take it that's what you're trying to say.

[TheEmerson]

There is no law that says you MUST use TSA locks...we use keyed Master locks....never been bothered.

 

Not to say they do this. But almost all key based Master Locks are easily defeated with a few taps of a small hammer on their side.

[TiogaCruiser]

Might help too if they drop the luggage off the pier into the water. :eek:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2133787

 

In which case you will want the extra large bubble wrap.:p:)

[avian777]

Don't know why you quoted me, since I posted my experience, which was the TSA destroying/losing TSA approved locks.

Maybe they should be warning against using those, too? I take it that's what you're trying to say.

 

Either you misread my post or I wasn't as clear as I should have been ... or maybe a little of each. At any rate, my post was intended to address your categorical statement that TSA "never accepts responsibility" for damaging luggage that it needs to open. That is not correct, as TSA does accept responsibility for damage to luggage with approved locking mechanisms caused by it agents.

 

Sorry I confused you ...

Edited July 20, 2016 by avian777

[take us away]

Condolences on the loss of your locks. I guess we have been extremely lucky, as we have not had a single one of our locks "go missing", with each one being a veteran of more than 100 flights both inside and outside the US. Perhaps your locks are more desirable looking than ours are ...

 

Have used zip ties for years as a deterrent - fully aware it will not stop avid thieves but have not been burglarized. Figure (hope) they will move on to an 'easier to open' bag. No issue with TSA inspections as they just cut the zip. Once there were extra zip ties in my bag and the TSA guy in San Diego replaced the zip (the new ones were a different color) when he left the bag inspected paper in the suitcase.

[LSEA]

Before buying another lock for your luggage, go to YouTube and view the videos on how to get into luggage with a ballpoint pen. If your luggage has a zipper on it, a lock is worthless.

 

We had some luggage come open and spill out onto the conveyor. Now I always use a lock to prevent accidental opening, not intentional opening.