Leaving luggage unlocked.

soco1

I have seen something on the AA.com site about leaving luggage unlocked.
Does this include passengers just transitting? I shall only be at JFK for 65 minutes and shall not be entering America.
LHR-MAD-SJU-EIS
EIS-SJU-JFK-LHR
1st 2 flights are BA/Iberia & Iberia/AA last 4 flights are all AA.

My natural concern is the opportunity for theft at any one of the airports my bag will transit through when changing flights.
I have seen the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) locks but they are only appropriate for cases closed with zips as they go through the actual zippers.
Cases that are hard sided have their own combination locks and nowhere that the TSA approved locks could be used.
I'm guessing any travel insurance is invalidated if the case is left unlocked and therefore vulnerable.

Surely if anyone needs to physically search a bag they can call for the passenger to come and open it, after all they'll still be in the airport as they and their bags will travel together.

Anyone got any experience of this - did they break open locked bags?

Don't really want to get to holiday destination and find half the contents have been stolen.
I know I can carry camera etc as hand luggage but can't carry everything on me and prefer to carry as little as possible in hand luggage!

dmg24

I think you'll find that JFK is in America, so you will be entering the country!

If the TSA decide to search your case, they will not call for you, they'll just break it open.

debs66_2

hi,

when we go to the states we 'lock' our case with plastic tie wraps, cut off close to the small loop. that way if the authorities want to get in to the case, and if they want to they will, they don't break a lock, they can just cut the tie wrap. we carry a small set of clippers and extra tie wraps in the front pocket of the case for coming home. as the cases go in the hold, we can take the clippers.

liames

A friend of mine says even though you have a lock on your case it is easy to open the case without you knowing the case had been tampered with.

Tojo_Ralph

.....
As dmg24 says, if the TSA want into your case, they will simply bust any locks, have a good look around, close it the best they can and leave you a calling card in the case.

Experience? .... Yep, I made the mistake once with a medium hard bodied Carlton case. Thankfully Carlton's customer service is superb and they sent me the complete combo lock, latch, screw insert deal for the nominal fee of £5 to get the case back into action.

soco1

dmg24 wrote: »

I think you'll find that JFK is in America, so you will be entering the country!

If the TSA decide to search your case, they will not call for you, they'll just break it open.

Technically no because until you've been 'landed' by immigration you have not entered the country. By staying airside you are effectively in no mans land.
As an immigration officer I grant permission for people to enter the UK and until I have stamped their passports and they have gone past me they have not entered.

Also I know they won't call you, though there is no real reason why they couldn't, and that they can and do break the case open, that is why I am asking what others have experienced as I'm not comfortable leaving my case unlocked.

soco1

debs66 wrote: »

hi,

when we go to the states we 'lock' our case with plastic tie wraps, cut off close to the small loop. that way if the authorities want to get in to the case, and if they want to they will, they don't break a lock, they can just cut the tie wrap. we carry a small set of clippers and extra tie wraps in the front pocket of the case for coming home. as the cases go in the hold, we can take the clippers.

A good idea but am guessing that only works with zips as there is nowhere to attach cable ties to a snap shut combination lock on a hard case.

soco1

Does anyone know if TSA search all bags transported on American aeroplanes as opposed to all planes heading for the US itself?

i.e would my bag be likely to get the rigourous TSA searching when travelling with AA but not going to the US?

pennylane99

you can get a TSA approved lock, so you can lock it, but if TSA want to get in they have master keys, without breaking your case open

I have a hard case and use the TSA lock

soco1

pennylane99 wrote: »

you can get a TSA approved lock, so you can lock it, but if TSA want to get in they have master keys, without breaking your case open

I have a hard case and use the TSA lock

Where do you attach it? My case has a snap shut all in one combination lock and 2 non locking snap shut locks on the side.

mum2one

I know its not very money saving, but for peace of mind why not just leave the hard sided suitcases at home and buy some new ones, you can pick them up reasonably from Argos, tesco, Wilkinsons etc.

Obviously I appriciate that the hard sided cases are better for travel, (I use to use a Carlton one, but now being on crutches, can no longer manage that tyoe of case, need a long handle,) picked up a cheap one for £10.00 from Matalan.

Surely it wouls be better to spend £10 on a case, then take a chance, and urs is opened and obviously unlocked would invalidate ur insurance!