OPEN OR LOCKED CASE?

[oakdale]

Hi, we will be travelling to Orlando from Dublin
via Gatwick, and was just wondering if we need to leave our
case open, When we hand our case in at Dublin, we won't see it
until we arrive in Orlando. I don't fancy the idea of leaving
the case unlocked, would appreciate any advice.[?]

[chrisj]

What we do is use those cable ties, that way if security want to open the case, they can
snip them off

They did that last year to one of our cases, they do put a new cable tie on the zippers. Just saves them having to break the padlock
which would mean having to buy a new one

[esprit]

You should be fine outwards but coming back you need to leave your suitcaes unlocked at Orlando as they are spot searching and if it is locked and they cannot find you, will break the lock.

[Ray&Sarah]

We tend to leave ours unlocked as we don't want the lock broken, don't think anyone wants our dirty washing anyway![msnsmile2]

[steph_goodrum]

We use the electrical ties, being paranoid my main concern is not what is taken out of my case as there is nothing of value in there, but it makes a bit of a mockery of declaring you've packed the case yourself and nobody could have tampered with it and then hand it over unlocked so if somebody decided to use case to try and smuggle something into the country it would make it a little harder than just being able to unzip it. Of course if you have combination locks you don;t have much choice. We tend to use coloured ties as well to make it more obvious, the ones the airlines use are dark blue they checked a couple of our bags last time coming back.

[Nostromo]

But I tend to check-in my expensive camera equipment that is too bulky for hand luggage. It is securely packed and so damage due to handling is not a problem, but theft could be. How can I leave my cases unlocked?

PS: Is it legal to leave one's mobile phone number with the address on the case? Then they MAY phone you before breaking the lock?

[steph_goodrum]

Nostromo
You could check your camera equipment in separately as "Fragile", we did that when we took a safe over last year in case it got thrown about on the conveyor and dented . We got a separate receipt for it and it was brought on a trolley just near the side of the conveyor at Orlando. The recommendation has always been not to check items of value in the luggage. At least that way you have an individual baggage check too trace if it should go missing rather than tell them it was taken out of your case.
With Virgin the baggage allowance is good enough that we know we won't use it all so we could check it in as one piece.
It's perfectly legal to put your phone no na anything you want but I don't think they would ring you, they just open the case and seal it with ties with a leaflet saying they have checked the case.

[blott]

Also, another point in a different direction, you need to put anything electronic or with batteries in your hand luggage.

[marv]

This area has been a concern for me as we have combination locks and there is no way of securing our cases with ties. We are travelling with first choice to USA, so i rang first choice today, and yes you should not lock any case as it will be broken if they have to force it open. They contacted our travel inssurance company to make sure that the contents were covered if the case was not locked. I was told that yes all clothes , shoes, toiletries are covered, buti was told not to pack cameras, cd players, money,passports,anything of that sortin the case and should take it on as hand luggage. I have also been told to make an exact list of every thing that goes into the case so we can check through when we recieve our luggage back.
I feel better now that i know that all luggage is inssured.
My advice to any one that is worried, would be to contact thier innsurance company to make sure they are fully covered.

[blott]

Your airline also covers you if anything is missing from your suitcase so you should contact them in the first instance if anything disappears. The Federal Aviation Authority in the US has passed the liability onto the airlines.

Even if locked cases were allowed, you should never pack any valuables in them as they're pretty easy to break open if anyone has a mind to do that. Remember Posh and her jewellery?

[caroline]

quote:Originally posted by blott

Also, another point in a different direction, you need to put anything electronic or with batteries in your hand luggage.


Are you sure Blott?
I always put electrical stuff and batteries in our cases - at check in one of the security questions is something like "Has anything electrical in your case ever been repaired or altered?" so I'm pretty sure you can pack them.

[Nostromo]

Same here. I have always put my electric / electronic stuff securely packed and LOCKED in my hard Samsonite case and never been asked a question. We travel regularly to the US, usually to JFK Airport or Dulles. I would be really worried about not locking my cases. In some Americam airports (Detroit and Atlanta to quote some) you can see that the luggage is often transported in a rather slipshod, offhand manner. I have seen cases precariously balanced on their hampers waiting to be loaded into the plane with bored looking staff standing by seemingly without a clue. I know that it is on the 'other' side of the barrier, but how do we know who can be trusted in a place that employs thousands? Insurance or no insurance, one just does not like losing one's personal things.

[blott]

Absolutely Caroline! "You should bring that laptop on board as a carry-on, but make sure the batteries are good. You may have to demonstrate that electronic items such as laptops and video cameras are what they look like by showing that they work. Hence the need for good batteries. Any electronic devices that aren’t in working order will look suspicious to security. Security screenings are supposed to leave computers unharmed, but you might ask for a manual inspection."