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Old Jun 13, 2006 | 9:27 am
  #7  
SDF_Traveler
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Louisville, KY, US
Programs: QF Plat - OW EMD | DL Gold / Starwood Gold
Posts: 6,106
Originally Posted by jbatl
New to this board. Found it while searching for an answer to what is becoming a MAJOR problem.

I fly weekly for work with thousands of dollars in equipment. I check it in hard-sided cases. I have been buying TravelSentry TSA locks to secure the cases. Unfortunately, at least one, and sometimes two or three of these locks simply disappear everytime I fly. Even more perplexing, I NEVER find TSA notification cards inside my cases. I can only assume the locks are being ripped off my luggage by some piece of equipment. When the locks make it through, they are often bent and mangled. At $10 each, it's like setting fire to a stack of money. On Wednesday, I bought four new TravelSentry locks at Brookstone for $43. By the time I got back to ATL on Friday, only two were left.

I've read the TSA site and they blame the airline conveyor system. I can't see waiting in line at baggage service to make a claim every time I fly. Plus, it's not like I have the damaged lock ... the thing is completely gone! At the same time, I don't feel good about checking this equipment unsecured.

Is anyone else having a similar experience? Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should do????

Thanks ...

jb
Greetings JB,

It's a well known problem. The following is a link to an editorial I wrote about the on-going problems with locking luggage and the TSA certified locks.

Is your luggage locked? Checking luggage in the United States

FWIW, I went by the local Australia Post office this morning to mail a few things, and they're even selling these bloody locks. Thankfully there are no issues or problems locking luggage here.

Regards,

SDF_Traveler

Last edited by SDF_Traveler; Jun 29, 2006 at 7:09 am
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