Should I put a lock on our luggage?

[Gsel]

I completely agree! We have traveled all over the US and from Australia and New Zealand to all over Europe and never had a TSA lock cut off. If they have opened one of our bags, and they often have, they have neatly re-packed it, put their note inside and re-locked the bag. Maybe we have been lucky and I am sure there are "bad apples" out there, and we have come across a few in the search line, on the most part they have courteous and respectful. Give them a break, they have a very tough job, dealing with the general public is NOT fun, I have done it and some people who travel can be very demanding and almost impossible to please no matter what you do. Walk a mile in someone's shoes before you criticize.

[greatam]

I completely agree! We have traveled all over the US and from Australia and New Zealand to all over Europe and never had a TSA lock cut off. If they have opened one of our bags, and they often have, they have neatly re-packed it, put their note inside and re-locked the bag. Maybe we have been lucky and I am sure there are "bad apples" out there, and we have come across a few in the search line, on the most part they have courteous and respectful. Give them a break, they have a very tough job, dealing with the general public is NOT fun, I have done it and some people who travel can be very demanding and almost impossible to please no matter what you do. Walk a mile in someone's shoes before you criticize.

 

Has nothing to do with "bad apples" or criticizing TSA. Has to do with the amount of luggage that must be checked and the time it must first be on the tarmac in the carts for loading on the plane. There are very strict time frames used to accomplish all the luggage/cargo moving in an airport.

 

The baggage checkers absolutely CANNOT wait for the supervisor to show up with the key/code for TSA luggage locks. And for the most part, the TSA supervisors are the only ones with the keys/codes. So locks get cut off due to a time factor-it is as simple as that. The baggage checkers can't put the bags aside and wait and wait. The luggage/cargo absolutely has to continue on its path or it doesn't make the plane and wreaks havoc with the schedules.

 

As I said, right next to or on top of the bag check scanner thingy at the AA area at both JFK and PHX are bright red bolt cutters. They are NOT there for decoration. Both of my TSA locks were cut off within 6 months of purchase. Most who fly a lot (25-50,000 miles or more per year) have had their locks cut off also. Just a matter of the odds.

[6rugrats]

I don't check bags often, but when I do, I don't bother with locks or zip ties. I have no control over whether or not they opened a checked bag, so I don't care if I can tell if they've been in them. I think in the last two years, everytime I've checked a bag, it's been opened, as they always have that TSA paper in them.

 

Anyone can get a bag open, locked or not, if they want to. Agree with Cruisin' Ron VA; I don't pack anything valuable in a checked bag ever.

[Gsel]

Maybe it is just the luck of the draw! We make a point of getting to the airport early and checking our bags early, perhaps that makes a difference. Sorry, didn't mean to step on anyone's toes.