As mention, entering and traveling in the USA, non-TSA approved locks can be forced open without your involvement / permission. Hence not a good idea to use such lock if in the USA.
The thief of luggage is organized groups is common -- just google it. SFO (my home airport) seems to have a flair-up every 2-3 years. I'm not sure but I think I may have been a near victim -- I caught someone with my bag leaving the carousel area, and they said "sorry" and then left the area (did not go back to get "their" bag).

The mistaken pickup of luggage is a daily occurrence at any major airport -- I seen it happen and caught at the carousel a couple times a year.


http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...d-luggage.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...age-claim.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...iversions.html

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...hes-thief.html

not really. Locking luggage helps prevent zippers coming loose. Last time I lost my lock I "locked" my suitcase with a keyring. It's not to keep it safe from someone opening it, it's to prevent it accidentally coming apart.

I agree that if your purpose is not actually to lock your luggage, then locking it might serve your purpose.

For most people, the purpose of locking luggage is... to lock the luggage.

Yes, it is. I've even had someone step in front of me while at the carousel and grab my bag (when I was standing very near the start of the belt). An honest mistake based on circumstances I won't elaborate on, but still, I have a huge FT tag and another fairly large custom name tag on my bags, and have an "off" color which isn't as common (a dark red, and a light blue set--when the majority is black, bold red, or bold blue it seems).

Sorry that I might have been uncleared in the of word 'lock'. The samsonite hardcase suitcase comes with one main and two side 'clamps'. The clamps keep the suitcase securely closed. The main clamp has a built in combination lock and the side clamp has a built in lock with key. I never use any of the locks when I check in luggage due to TSA screening, although I use the combination lock on the clamp frequently when I am in a hoteL.

It make me wonder when:
1. He uses the same suitcase as me, so he should know how to open up the clamp (non-locked). Instead a bar was used to plier it opened.
2. All the clamps of his own suitcase have been replaced by 3rd party parts (light brown, diff color from the black suitcase) may suggest that they were all broken and needed to be replaced. And those contrasting color of the replacement parts that were riveted on with a big piece of leather, served as distinct markings of his bag.
3. I lost a bag with valuable clothing items a few years ago and was never found.

I still think it was all a coincidence and innocent mistake, but just want to do a quick ask if similar incidents happened in this location that may suggest otherwise based on the factors mentioned.

Life is short -- for some relief, I recommend watching "What's Up Doc," from 1972 (Barbra Streisand, Ryan O'Neill) and still worth the time!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069495/?ref_=ttmd_md_nm

"The accidental mix up of four identical plaid overnight bags leads to a series of increasingly wild and wacky situations."

and so I agree with you also - that's pointless. I have a TSA lock on my new bag, I intend keeping it closed but at the default combination of 000, so if anyone wants to steal my dirty socks and spare gastric reflux pills at least they might get in without damaging my lovely new bag. Locking it to actually lock it? Dumb.

This is the main reason.

There's also the issue of dirty baggage handlers. A locked suitcase takes more time to get into, they'll be more likely to go for the unlocked one.

Locks are completely useless against thieves that make off with bags.

I rather liked my key ring solution, but it took me forever to get the damned bag open with that thing securing it. I could at least open the lost lock with a toothpick in a jiffy.

I am not sure I agree with the other posters that UA bears no responsibility here. The OP checked his bag with UA. When bags came out on the belt, his was never presented to him. OP has no way of knowing when the bag went missing. When the bag was returned to him by UA, it was damaged. It doesn't matter to the OP whether the damage was inflicted by UA or by the person that UA allowed to pick up the bag. Until UA returned the bag to the OP who checked it (and not just anyone who happened to pick it off the belt), UA is responsible for it.

I think the OP is owed damaged bag compensation by UA.

UA delivered the bag to the carousel. That's the end of the line, the story and liability.

United doesn't "present" the bag. They put it on the belt. After that it's out of their control. If anyone failed, it's airport security.

In this particular case the OP knows that the guy picked the wrong bag off the belt.

In this case, it seems pretty clear that the airlines' choice not to provide security and match bag tags to their owner contributed significantly to the episode. Since they provided such security in the past, is is clearly feasible but not cost effective. Therefore, the airline should pay damages, and seek to recover that from the person who took the luggage if they wish.

They've made the choice to not provide adequate security and should pay the alternative price, i.e., making the customer whole.

Although it's most likely the person who mistakenly took the bag is the one who damaged the locks (probably saying to himself, "Why isn't my key or combo working?!?!"), how is the OP supposed to know it wasn't UA or the TSA who damaged it?

I am surprised that airport authorities haven't been hit with legal action over the years for basically allowing anyone off the street to waltz in and steal bags off the belts. Even putting baggage claim behind some kind of security (e.g. exit the secure area to baggage claim, but to get into baggage claim from the street, you have to show ID & a recent BP) wouldn't solve the problem entirely; I don't know what the solution is. But it does seem like airport authorities are just putting a big "steal me!" sign on bags.

iIRC, Oakland used to have security guards in baggage claim matching bag stubs to the tags on bags when passengers were leaving the claims area. Very much doubt that they still do that. At SFO on the other hand, you can do a drive-by pickup of random bags: run from a waiting car in the arrivals area to a conveyor, grab a bag, and be back at the car in a few seconds. Just don't take WineCountryUA's bag. :D