What about the policy that says if you get a TSA approved lock (for which they are supposed to have the skeleton key), then TSA just cuts it off for spite.

Happened to two people I know.

Bart, as I see it, TSA has 4 problems: a performance problem, a PR problem, a shoe carnival problem, and a yet-to-be-categorized problem which I simply refer to as the "You Didn't Get A Flyer So We Didn't Pilfer Your Stuff" problem. :mad:

Looking forward to joining the List of Suspected 2-Year Olds, Grandmas and Senators,
/pbz

Well then all you have to do is report it. In no way, shape or form is a TSA lock supposed to be cut. When I was in the bagroom we had a lock that wouldn't open with the key. Instead of cutting it, we had to make a thousands calls all over the airport for another key. 45 mins and a missed flight later, we got the stupid thing open and locked it back. The only time I saw a tsa lock cut, there was mounds of paperwork including a notice left in the bag and information as to who to contact regarding the "incident" everyone in the bagroom had to write a statement too. Honestly, I have never seen my supervisor so upset.

And we all know that TSA is supposed to have master keys for the TSA locks. Yet how many people have had those cut off?

I have, and it even happened after I told the TSA guy at HNL that they were TSA locks. I know he knew because he acknowledged the statement. :td:

Just wanted to add that I have also had at least six TSA locks cut off in both DEN and SFO. It really ticks me off and replacing them is a total waste of money.

TSA procedure is that we determine if there's a way to open the bag without damaging it. There should be a set of master keys (non-TSA locks) available (e.g. one Samsonite key will open any Samsonite bag). I keep a personal set with me that's a combination of my own set of keys I've had over the years as well as luggage keys I find on the floor. If it's a combination lock, we try certain numbers first (e.g. most combinations aren't changed from the default 000 and it seems that everyone has a James Bond fantasy because many are often set at 007 or a Vegas fantasy with 777; point here is that there are certain numbers we can try first).

If unable to open the lock, we are to notify the airline GSC who, in turn, is supposed to notify the passenger. We do not cut the locks unless directed by the GSC. The GSC will often direct we cut the locks if the flight departure is within 30 minutes. In other words, boarding has started and it's not practical to notify the passenger, have the passenger return to the ticket counter, pass the key down to the screening pod, and have enough time for that passenger to clear the checkpoint and return to the departure gate. At smaller airports, this may be more possible, but at larger ones it's not.

As for in-line systems, I don't have an answer for you. This is relatively new, and we don't have one at our airport.

As for the TSA signs, it's not the first time that a sign said one thing and policy said another.

I strongly encourage you to speak with a GSC. The GSC is not only the liaison between TSA and the airlines, but is also the liaison between the passengers and TSA (as well as the airlines).

Thank you!
 

THANK YOU, Bart. Now this policy totally makes sense and is extremely reasonable. I wish such policy was published at least over the web site and through the airlines. I'm going to give the GSC in DTW a call on the next international flight I take out of there. [For domestic flights, I actually could care less about being paged since it's domestic and I check in really close to the airline deadline. However, for international flights, I don't want my bags unlocked and would prefer a "strong" lock and typically check in 3 hours prior.]

Absolutely. There have been unfriendly signs that tell you to unlock your baggage, with no recourse to relock them before it makes it to the belly of the plane. There are some others that tell you to wait by a screener until the process has been completed.

On a lighter note, have you tried 006 or 666? The equivalent for the Chinese is 004 or 444, because 4 in Chinese (not sure which dialect) sounds close to a sinister word.

Again, Bart, thanks again. There have been many alleged TSA people who have come and gone here but for the most part, you've been here for a while so you're the only one that I feel comfortable taking advice from. I'll post my results later.

Not really, you can buy a TSA lock that we have master keys for.

Though it's irrelevent, with a simple BIC pen I can open any bag with a zipper, zip it back up again, and never have touched the lock.

Yeah, we've never been told about this before, but all checked baggage screening is done out in public, so if anyone is ever concerned, they can just stick around and ask us to lock the bag when we're done.

Passengers are lucky at your airport. DFW "enhanced" their system so now most of the screening is done in-line.

Bart also mentioned that TSA has a set of master keys for the hard side luggage. A screener at Terminal A at DFW screemed bl**dy murder when he encountered my locked Samsonite; he obviously didn't know about a set of master keys, or he was too lazy to go and get them.

The Usual (and Likely Wrong) Suspects
 

While I'd hate to tie the thefts to a "profile" of items stolen and the theives who do so, your three examples are so easily related to non-USAian baggage handlers and so unattractive in a relative sense to TSA employees (not that they wouldn't steal, but used paperbacks and Reese's - C'm on Lady, get serious!).

You're simply swinging blindly at the visible target, forgetting all the time your bags have spent in the hands of folks whose incomes and access to products make them "gen-u-wine" suspects.

By the way, avoid cheap hotels in Olongapo and Manila....

TMO

A fine distinction. One that is lost on everybody who doesn't work for the TSA. It doesn't make any difference to the victim err... passenger which particular acronym decided to destroy the lock. It was locked when it went to "security" and broken when it came back. Who cares who ordered it done ? The TSA cut off the lock.

Bart, Do you or others in your group ever deal with TSA at other airports and maybe discuss this? I wonder why you follow proper procedure and others deviate so much.

The implication is that TSA screeners arbitrarily cut locks off. If you want to believe that, then be my guest.

Meanwhile, I'm informing you and others that this is not the procedure. I can't account for all TSA agents across the country; however, I can tell you what the correct procedure is. When the decision is made to cut the lock, the airlines have either exhausted all attempts to notify the passenger without success or has decided that there is not enough time to page the passenger and has authorized us to cut the lock.

If I didn't post it in this thread, I know I have in others. The general procedure is that if you inform the airline agent at the counter you want your bag locked. The airline agent takes your lock, places it inside a small plastic bag and staples it to the airline luggage tag. The agent writes a big letter "L" on the tag. This tells the TSA screener to use the attached lock to lock the bag once it's completed screening.

Again, I don't know how it works for inline systems because of the unique nature of these systems. The inline systems are designed so that we don't touch the bags unless we have to physically search them. Otherwise, they are processed directly to the airline baggage handlers once they've cleared the EDS.

Each airport is like its own kingdom as far as one telling the other how to do its job. TSA headquarters is supposed to do what you're suggesting.

I'm sure there's designed inconsistency built into this procedure too. ;) :D