Cases and security

[Easty]

Hi everyone - off to Indian Ridge Oaks very very shortly and wondered if anyone could update on the Orlando airport scanners for suitcases. I heard that new scanners were being used that could affect film etc.
Also what is the situation with locking your case - is it allowed?

Many thanks for any replies!

Paul

[DMC]

Hi Paul

From our recent trip to Orlando in May, you are correct they have updated the security equipment and proceedures, it now takes twice as long to get through customs, on the return journey !!!

They have introduced new X ray machines and from memory they do have warnings up that state that these may cause damge / erase films etc.

From conversations that I picked up from fellow passengers at the time, who were expressing concern about loosing their holiday sanps, there was little comfort / sympathy from the Security Staff - everything has to go through the X ray machine ( as you would expect ).

That said, our video and camera film went through and we had no problems when they were developed / viewed.

As far as locking your suitcases is concerned, in 15 trips we have never had to keep our checked -in cases unlocked, of course hand luggage can get searched, but as you are with the case when they get checked, you can open / unlock them at the time, if requested.

You may also be asked to remove your shoes when going through customs, so make sure you don't have holes in your socks !!!

If you are in doubt, I would suggest that you ask at the time of going through customs, but I doubt that you will have any problems, if there were regular issues regarding holiday makers loosing their pictures etc, then I am sure that we would have heard about them.

I think it is just that the US are so frightened of legal action that they have warning signs up for every eventuality.

DMC

[championvillas]

Hi Paul

On our last trip we had locked out cases and when we arrived home the locks had been cut off and a note had been put inside saying they had been searched. We will not be locking our cases on our next trip. I can't answer the one about scanners but we did have to take our laptops out of their cases and remove our shoes and belts and all this want through the scanner.

Hope this info helps, have a good trip.

Pauline

[caroline]

In April they were asking us to leave our cases unlocked - and when we arrived home and unpacked there was a notice inside one of the cases to say that it had been opened and inspected.

[steph_goodrum]

We had our recent travel documents through and they suggest you leave the case unlocked or do what we have done for the last 5 years or so successfully and secure the cases using electrical cable ties as they can be snipped off easily if they wish to check the case without damaging a lock but will help to prevent opportunist pilfering or even worse I would imagine "extras" being added to your suitcase.
Apparently Virgin are quite anti the suggestion that cases be left unlocked as they will be held repsonsible for any pilfering.

[Biggus]

Steph,
Great piece of advice about the cable ties - we did exactly that when we went in MArch/April - the security staff selected my mums case to search. We sat there and watched the guy do it (why did we get the only one armed bag searcher - it took him AGES to close my mums case - too many Clinique bottles!!!) and were allowed to pass him cable ties to 're-seal' the case afterwards which was nice (we weren't allowed to do it ourselves as the cases were listed as 'secure') the guy even allowed us to pass us the keys to our hard plastic case (no place to seal with cable ties!!) and he locked it and moved the combination numbers off the 'open' combination. Very helpful assuming that they you are pleasant to them - I did see a group of South African lads with no manners who were demanding to reseal their bags after security checks and were refused the chance - see being British and asking politely does have it's beenfits!!!

[Easty]

Thanks everyone for the help - will get some cable ties on the way home tonight!

Great website with some fantastic information. I have been lurking for a month or so and have picked up some great tips!!

Not long now!!

Paul

[steph_goodrum]

Paul
It's even more useful if you buy coloured ties as usually they are clear and it's much easier to check of yours have been swapped if you've got green or yellow on them for example. our local Poundland have had packs with 5 colours in recently.

[chrisj]

We were asked at Orlando if we wanted to lock our cases, or leave them open, we locked
them and were told they would only be forced open if when scanned something set off the
machine, then they would check the case and then re-seal it.

Thinking about it, it would have been better to get some cable ties, but our cases were ok

As for film, they said to put all un developed film into hand luggage as the new scanners in
use could harm it if it was in the case

Chris