TSA Padlock Deals - Essential for your holiday

LeoLeo_2

Hi all,
I've been searching for some TSA Luggage padlocks for my family ready for our upcoming trip to florida. For those that don't know, TSA locks allow customs to open your bags without breaking the lock, apparently. Hopefully they won't need to search our bags but I thought id get some of these anyway.
Back to the reason of the post, a site called tripneeds.com has these at bargain price of £3.49 which is by far and away the cheapest I have seen them for.
I hope this helps someone.

Cheers

Dave

KEM

Any idea how much postage costs on these?
How about if I were to order 2 or 3?
Has anyone used these people before? Are they any good?
Thanks in advance for any comments.

Bucky

TSA locks allow customs to open your bags without breaking the lock, apparently.

Does this mean that they can open your bags without you being present ? If so it doesn't sound very secure to me.

If you have to be present then wouldn't you just having a key and opening the bags for them have the same result

niceblokejohn

If customs want to open your bags without you present, then they will.

These locks let them open the case without damage to the lock or case itself, and some will even indicate that it's been opened, so you can check everything when you get it back.
If they can't open it nicely, they'll damage the lock and/or case if they want to inspect it.

Particularly true flying to the US IIRC.

So these TSA locks are there to stop the average baggage handler checking out your stuff, whilst still allowing the officials to do their job without damaging your case (e.g. you get your case back, battered and with the TSA lock sawn off, you've got good evidence it's been rifled through by thieves rather than officials).

LeoLeo_2

Bucky wrote: »

Does this mean that they can open your bags without you being present ? If so it doesn't sound very secure to me.

I think how it works is that the Customs officials in the USA (and now also in the UK), have a set of special keys which can open all of these TSA locks. No one else can obtain these keys, and it is meant to be very secure. I think it's one of those things where you have no choice, the american customs officials are so paranoid they want to search checked-in bags for any stupid reason thesedays. Soon all suitcases will have built in TSA compliant locks I imagine because if you lock your case and customs suspect it contains something dodgy then they will simply break the lock if it isnt a TSA approved one.

Regarding the website tripneeds, they seem okay. I ordered my locks from them and they arrived quickly. The site seems secure.

Hope this helps.

waster_2

US Customs and Security Agencies have the right to open anyone's baggage without them being present. If you use an approved TSA lock they can open your baggage with a special key that only they (are suppose to?) have access to. (like a pass key for a hotel room) They will then resecure your baggage when they have finished examining it. They will also put a leaflet in your baggage to say that they have opened it and examined the contents. You can then claim if there is damaged or missing contents, but not the case, lock or securing device(s). If you use any other type of lock or securing device on your baggage they have the right to force it off/open it up and are not responsible for any damage resulting or for the ongoing security or integrity of your baggage. If you don't like this you basically do not travel to the US. Your choice.

With regards the locks, I have found that they are ofen half the price if you buy them in the US in the usual well known stores (Walmart, KMart, Walgreens, etc). As it is unusual for you baggage to be inspected on the way in to the US I would use my normal locks on the outward journey, buy new TSA locks whilst in the US, and use them for the return journey when it is more likely your baggage wil be subject to security searches and checks. In any case, at most US airports you now stay with your baggage (including that to be checked in) whilst it is passed through security scanners. If there is any concern over contents you are made to open it there and then.

Hope this helps?

LeoLeo_2

Thanks for the info waster.
The only thing I can add to this is that I know that the UK Customs Dept (Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs) now also recognize and use the TSA Travel Sentry system so I suppose this means that UK customs officials will start to break our locks and rip open our cases, especially as they seem to follow anything that the officials do in the US.
I don't know whether they'll actually end up opening cases the UK, but I do know it'd be very annoying if any of our bags were forced open whilst travelling to the US as this would definitely affect our holiday. I'll use the TSA locks both ways, but hope that they are not needed.

gromituk

LeoLeo wrote: »

I think how it works is that the Customs officials in the USA (and now also in the UK), have a set of special keys which can open all of these TSA locks. No one else can obtain these keys, and it is meant to be very secure.

Do you honestly believe that "your average baggage handler" can't get their hands on such things? One pattern of master key for millions of locks worldwide, and no-one has managed to obtain a single illicit copy? I think you'd have to be very naive to believe that these things offered much security at all.

SMG_4

I paid £7.50 for similar padlocks last year, but these were ones that have an indicator to show when the lock has been opened. I thought they were quite expensive, but having used them, I thought it was worth it for the peace of mind. I was quite pleased with the quality and thought they were more secure than the key padlocks they were replacing. I agree that you can probably get them cheaper in the states.

LeoLeo_2

gromituk wrote: »

Do you honestly believe that "your average baggage handler" can't get their hands on such things? One pattern of master key for millions of locks worldwide, and no-one has managed to obtain a single illicit copy? I think you'd have to be very naive to believe that these things offered much security at all.

I think the point is that if someone really wants to open your bag then they will, no matter how many locks or straps you use. Having a padlock on your case will not prevent someone who is determined to get into your bag, but it will prevent the casual thief or the 'curious' baggage handler. With hundreds of bags to choose from, it's pretty obvious that the casual thief will choose the unlocked bag first, as opposed to the locked one.
If you travel to the states then you either travel without a lock on your bag or you have a TSA lock. It's the choice of the traveller. I know what I'll be doing.

wendytiggermad

KEM wrote: »

Any idea how much postage costs on these?
How about if I were to order 2 or 3?
Has anyone used these people before? Are they any good?
Thanks in advance for any comments.

£1.79 or free if you spend £20