Next week I'm on a UA (F and C mix) outbound flight ALB-IAD-FCO with an ATH-FRA-IAD-ALB (C and F) return.

The latest posting about this topic I was able to locate in the FT forums search was dated 11/07 with the options for checked baggage being: check it unlocked; check it locked with one of the of the type of locks TSA's can open.

Any new option updates since then I might have missed? Any helpful comments about my plan to use one of the TSA approved locks?

Thanks, all

Remember you're not just going to be dealing with TSA regs, you'll also be subject to the regs of the port authorities at FCO and ATH. Obviously the safest bet is to go unlocked. I havent heard of any official announcement allowing otherwise.

I was told recently by somebody in a shop in the airport in Rome (long story, strange german woman was going nuts because her lock was at 0000 and didn't have instructions to change it, the clerk and her didn't speak enough of a common languange to explain, so I told her) that for international flights you should leave the lock at 0000 in case they have to open it. They will try 0000 and if that doesn't work, they will cut it off if they need to get into your bag.

Within the USA the tsa locks are OK, but outside, not much hope of them surviving if they need to get in your bag.

Stretch wrap is still very popular in Europe, many people had their bags wrapped.

I say don't lock them, it's too much of a hassle if they need to get in.

We never lock we use coloured cable ties its much easier

Best to use something that indicates if anyone has opened your baggage. For example, distinctive zip ties, stretch wrap, or (within the US) the TSA locks with the indicator that shows that a TSA key was used to open them. That way, when you get your baggage back, you'll know immediately if it has been opened by someone, so you can inspect it before leaving the baggage claim area.

There is no rule in Europe that requires bags to be unlocked. If they need to get into your bag, they will just cut the lock.

Personally, I always lock my bags, both to keep my things in there and to prevent someone adding something to my bag. I've never had the lock cut in Europe (most of my travel) and the only time the TSA had to remove my lock is when I packed peanut butter, forgetting that it shows up in some scanning machines as the same density as explosives. I like the idea of the cable ties, but I keep forgettting to get some.