My new suitcases

lutterworth43 · 6 Aug 2006 at 13:02

Hi, all Ive not been abroad for years, but I am going shortly to the Canary Islands for 14 days yipeeeee.

Thing is Ive just bought 2 new suitcases fitted with combination tumblers + the usual key locks.
Ive been told that you must not lock your cases so that customs and airport security can check inside them.
Thats OK for the key locks but the combination tumblers can move very easily therefore looking the case, I dont want them bust open.

What do you think? Is there anything to worry about?

PeterNem · 6 Aug 2006 at 13:04

I think this is more to do with travel to/from the US than anywhere else.

I had a case with padlocks on that they managed to open and close again without damaging the locks (even though they werent eh approved type).

My other halfs £80 samsonite case on the other hand had the tumbler mechanism damaged in order that they could get in. I guess sitting scrolling through 4 digits of numbers would just take too long!

fini · 6 Aug 2006 at 13:10

You could selotape a peice of paper to it saying 'the code is 1234'

fini

cheets64 · 6 Aug 2006 at 13:11

I locked mine when I went to Magaluf 3 week ago, Used a combination lock, never had any problems.

When I went to America 2 years ago we was told not to lock our cases.

Replicant · 6 Aug 2006 at 13:11

My samsonite only has 3 digits

Biohazard · 6 Aug 2006 at 13:12

does this all not devoid of the point that you lock your cases as you do not know what the airport staff are like - customs can hold your luggage and accost you to open it. I don't see why they would resort to lock picking. They'd pick you.

Replicant · 6 Aug 2006 at 13:15

Cant they just use xray equipment to check the cases, surely this is more cost effective than spot checking by hand, if the damage cases i think you can claim from the airport/trvel insurance.

lutterworth43 · 6 Aug 2006 at 13:20

fini said:
You could selotape a peice of paper to it saying 'the code is 1234'

fini

Yes I might do that. :cool:

Biohazard · 6 Aug 2006 at 13:20

Replicant said:
Cant they just use xray equipment to check the cases, surely this is more cost effective than spot checking by hand, if the damage cases i think you can claim from the airport/trvel insurance.

well depends on the airport/port and if they do not have the facilities it also depends if you can get hold of a mobile scanner. Our borders here anyway are pretty porous

PeterNem · 6 Aug 2006 at 13:20

You can indeed claim from your insurance, but there may be a £50 or so excess which with the value of most cases makes it next to worthless.

My other half was also told they'd have to take the case to someone who repairs them and get a letter stating it was beyond repair.

Fr a £80 case with a £50 excess to pay it's just not worth the hassel.

Vixen · 6 Aug 2006 at 15:46

Biohazard said:
does this all not devoid of the point that you lock your cases as you do not know what the airport staff are like - customs can hold your luggage and accost you to open it. I don't see why they would resort to lock picking. They'd pick you.

Not always possible. I flew to New York with BA 7 years ago and we missed our connection at Gatwick. We made it to Heathrow to get the next flight out, but the luggage wasn't transferred, so it came on its own the next day. Since it was travelling without an owner, it was opened up and checked at JFK before being sent on to our hotel. In the process, the lock was pretty much destroyed

.

Psycho Ned · 6 Aug 2006 at 15:56

What you need if flying to the USA is one of these new type of padlocks which have a Travel Sentry symbol on them.

Means they can be opened using some kind of skeleton key by the US authorities but are still locked from anyone else getting in them.

http://www.travelsentry.org/

You can get them in Tescos and most places.

Teal · 6 Aug 2006 at 15:57

If traveling to or through the USA use cases that you can padlock with a TSA approved lock, they are easy to buy over here as well.

It is a combination lock with a key slot at the bottom. You use the combination, the securty staff have a master key.

PeterNem · 6 Aug 2006 at 15:58

Which is fine if your case isn't a £80 hard case which pushes together and uses built in locks and has no zips

Teal · 6 Aug 2006 at 16:05

Which is why I never buy that type of case.

With the weight limits on checked baggage moving downwards you need light weight cases anyway.