Should we bother locking our luggage?

[Kristinemomof3]

We'd have to buy locks, is it worth it? We'll be flying from Chicago to Miami.

[CruiserBruce]

We have traveled all over the world. Since 9/11 and the TSA, have never locked our luggage. No problems. Of course, we don't put any valuables in our checked bags, either.

[SPacificbound]

We also have traveled all over the world since 9/11 and we do use TSA approved locks. :)

[Scrapnana]

There was a thread on here a few months ago about that and the general consensus was they were fairly useless - it is easy to pop the zipper on luggage. That said, they make me feel better so I continue to use them.

[Colorado Kat]

I use plastic zip ties. Anyone can cut it off but I will know if it has been opened. I use brightly colored ones.

[OCruisers]

We've never locked ours.

 

LuLu

~~~~

[Scrapnana]

Here is a link to that thread. Check out the YouTube video in post 4.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1922108&highlight=locking+luggage

Edited November 22, 2013 by Scrapnana

[cb at sea]

Anything you own should be locked if it's out of your possession!!! Jeez...spring for some locks! They do NOT have to be TSA locks....go to a hardware or walmart....get keyed Master locks for luggage....that's all you need. They aren't expensive!

 

Since you shouldn't put ANYTHING of value into checked bags, you might think, "what the hell...there's nothing worth stealing".....maybe so. BUT....you don't want anyone having easy access to your bags....suppose they PUT something INTO your bag.....it's possible!

 

Lock your bags. You wouldn't leave your car unlocked, or your house.....lock your suitcases!

[JustCruiseMe]

Anything you own should be locked if it's out of your possession!!! Jeez...spring for some locks! They do NOT have to be TSA locks....go to a hardware or walmart....get keyed Master locks for luggage....that's all you need. They aren't expensive!

 

Since you shouldn't put ANYTHING of value into checked bags, you might think, "what the hell...there's nothing worth stealing".....maybe so. BUT....you don't want anyone having easy access to your bags....suppose they PUT something INTO your bag.....it's possible!

 

Lock your bags. You wouldn't leave your car unlocked, or your house.....lock your suitcases!

 

 

Uh this is incorrect information you MUST use locks that the airlines (unless master locks for luggage have this) who have a master key can open, if you don't they will cut off your locks never to be seen again. I know because I learned this the hard way! Yep lost my locks and learned the lesson.

 

So since then I either use the locks but most of the times I just use a those twisty things on the end of bread to loop into the zipper pulls and twist them together. Just basically to keep it from getting caught on something and pulling open.

[Scrapnana]

TSA approved locks start at about $5, the combination ones a couple of dollars more. Not a major expenditure compared to the cost of a cruise.

[freedom750]

The security people can open your suitcases any time they want and if you have locks on that they can't open - snip and they are gone.

I like the idea of twist ties - easy to be cut off if needed for inspection, cheap and keeps the honest people honest. No amount of locks will keep a true thief from getting into your luggage unless it is made of steel and has to be opened with a blow torch. Any 1 inch (or even smaller) pocket knife will help a crook gain access to any part of your luggage.

[Keith1010]

This is one where you will get many different answers.

 

We do lock it for the flight, also the day we board the ship and also when we place the luggage outside our room on the last night.

 

Can someone break into it if they want to? Sure. But the odds are greater that someone will open up one without a lock on it.

 

We use a TSA approved one.

 

Keith

[attilamom1217]

This is one where you will get many different answers.

 

We do lock it for the flight, also the day we board the ship and also when we place the luggage outside our room on the last night.

 

Can someone break into it if they want to? Sure. But the odds are greater that someone will open up one without a lock on it.

 

We use a TSA approved one.

 

Keith

 

Keith is correct - A thief will always go the easy route. If there is a lock on your luggage, they will move on until they find the luggage without the lock.

 

We, too, use the TSA approved lock. Doesn't cost much, keeps the amateur thief from breaking in, and allows to TSA to open and inspect if I am one of the 'lucky' random checks. If they open your luggage, they do put a sticker on the suitcase to indicate they opened it.

 

If you use a lock, it MUST be TSA approved. They have master keys to open the lock and will usually put the lock back on (once they did not and I had to buy a new lock; the other time, they did).

[Ms. T]

Here is a link to that thread. Check out the YouTube video in post 4.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1922108&highlight=locking+luggage

 

I need to check this out!

[LA_CA_GAL]

Keith is correct - A thief will always go the easy route. If there is a lock on your luggage, they will move on until they find the luggage without the lock.

 

 

And I am going to disagree.

 

If I am a thief, I an going after the locked luggage, which is just as easy to open as unlocked luggage, thinking that valuables might be in the locked luggage.

 

Of course, nothing whatsoever goes into anything out of my sight, so, if the thief wants to go through my dirty clothes, not much of a concern to me.

[beachbum53]

The savvy traveler knows not to put anything of value (such as cameras or electronic devices) in their checked luggage. If you feel the necessity to put locks on your luggage, use TSA approved locks. As attilamom1217 pointed out, if TSA agents do open your luggage for inspection, they will either put a sticker on your luggage, or a typed form in your luggage letting you know that your luggage was inspected. On a side note, when purchasing luggage, consider luggage that is water resistant. Several years ago, I worked for a time as a baggage handler for Delta. Unfortunately, the carts that are used to transport luggage from the terminal to the plane (and back) aren't always the enclosed type. If it's pouring down rain, bags can and do get wet. If your luggage isn't water resistant, guess what happens to the contents? I'd bet there have been more than a few travelers that have had to contend with wet clothes when they arrived at their destination.:eek:

[NMLady]

We'd have to buy locks, is it worth it? We'll be flying from Chicago to Miami.

 

If you do, make sure they are TSA locks.

 

But in dozens of flights and cruises we have never locked our luggage and have never had a problem. Anything that is valuable is carried with us in our carryons.

We each have a backpack carryon as well as my purse.

[leaveitallbehind]

Uh this is incorrect information you MUST use locks that the airlines (unless master locks for luggage have this) who have a master key can open, if you don't they will cut off your locks never to be seen again. I know because I learned this the hard way! Yep lost my locks and learned the lesson.

 

Well just consider the source - frequently posts incorrect or inaccurate information.

 

I point this out only to second your comments as TSA can and will open any suitcase they feel the need to, and non-TSA locks certainly won't prevent that - may possibly even create the reason to look closer.

[Cuizer2]

We'd have to buy locks, is it worth it? We'll be flying from Chicago to Miami.

 

You lock your luggage for the same reason you lock your home and car. In addition, don't put any valuables in your checked luggage. Nonetheless, if someone steals all your shoes, going without or replacing the shoes is a headache, even if the monetary loss is not that great.

[Laurie S.]

I always find it funny that people think that the clothes in your suitcase aren't valuable. Mine certainly are, both for monetary and sentimental reasons. I always dress for elegant nights and my dresses cost $200 to $300. I have one special skirt that cost $500. A few pairs of dress shoes adds up to another several hundred more dollars. Of course I'm going to lock my suitcase, and I add cable ties to it, too.

 

My other suitcase is a dive bag with thousands of dollars of dive gear in it. You bet that's locked and cable-tied, too. My jewelry, camera, laptop, and other expensive dive gear travel with me.

[jocap]

I, too, use freezer bag ties, which wrap through the zip ends, and twirl them round a few times- just to slow the "chance" thief enough to go to the next case. The only time they've been unravelled was after landing in Egypt.

[Cuizer2]

I, too, use freezer bag ties, which wrap through the zip ends, and twirl them round a few times- just to slow the "chance" thief enough to go to the next case. The only time they've been unravelled was after landing in Egypt.

 

Well, you shouldn't expect something designed for the freezer to do well in Egypt. :)

[Marigold252]

I use plastic zip ties. Anyone can cut it off but I will know if it has been opened. I use brightly colored ones.

 

What do you carry with you to cut them off? I have to use strong scissors or a knife, neither of which you can have in your carry on. Nail clippers don't work.

 

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[Lerin]

What do you carry with you to cut them off? I have to use strong scissors or a knife, neither of which you can have in your carry on. Nail clippers don't work.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Forums mobile app

I always bring a pair of small scissors in my luggage. They can get through zip ties

[Marigold252]

I always bring a pair of small scissors in my luggage. They can get through zip ties

 

Can you get them through security in your carry on? I once had to do some fast talking to keep my tiny folding scissors. Since then I have always put them in my checked bag for the flight. I don't want to lose them to some over zealous TSA person.

 

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