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© 2007 Medellin Travel Guide - All Rights Reserved
© 2007 Medellin Travel Guide - All Rights Reserved
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Medellin, Colombia
Medellin, Colombia
Medellin Travel Guide TSA Locks
Medellin Colombia
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Last Updated06/17/10
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The Story Behind TSA Locks.
Never leave home without them.
Never leave home without them.
I was on a flight from Bangkok to Hong Kong on business. When I arrived at the HK airport and went to retrieve my luggage, I immediately noticed my bag was gaping wide open. At first I thought I had broken a zipper only to find out quickly after that my luggage had been pilfered. Of course, in these instances, the airlines always blame the baggage handlers at the departing airport. Yes, I had small travel locks on my luggage but I guess they were easily picked. Fortunately, I only lost a couple of very nice ties as most of my valuable stuff I had in my carry on luggage.
After checking into the hotel, I immediately went out and bought some sturdier luggage locks with combinations. Someone was going to have to spend some time getting past these.
These locks performed well for a number of years and I never had another incident. Then along came 9/11 and heightened airport security. We all know what that means including removing belts and shoes at security checkpoints and even checked baggage being X Rayed.
Fast forward to 2005. I am in the Miami Airport on my way to Brazil. The ticket lines are jammed, the luggage screening lines are about 100 deep with piles of baggage to be scanned. I decided to just put my checked luggage in line with all the others and make a dash for the incredibly long security checkpoint. Just as I had passed through security, I heard my name paged and was being told to report back to baggage check in. They had seen something in my luggage that they wanted to inspect.
All the way back to baggage check in, open the suitcase so they can inspect (and found nothing) then yep, you guessed it, back through a security checkpoint with lines twice as long as as the original lines I had already passed through earlier.
I made my plane with about 5 minutes to spare and was sweating bullets that I might miss it.
In Rio, I was telling a buddy about the near miss experience and he told me about the new TSA locks. TSA inspectors have a master key they can use to open and inspect suspicious items, leave you a very nice little note that they did so and you never have to return to baggage check in when they need to perform an inspection. Not 1 but 5 did I buy when I got back to the states. Every piece of luggage I own has one and a couple with multiple zippered sections have two.
So whether you are traveling domestically or internationally, you should have these TSA locks on any zippered or any section of your luggage that can be opened and locked. Save yourself a harrowing hassle and the possibility of missing your flight. You'll be glad you did!
After checking into the hotel, I immediately went out and bought some sturdier luggage locks with combinations. Someone was going to have to spend some time getting past these.
These locks performed well for a number of years and I never had another incident. Then along came 9/11 and heightened airport security. We all know what that means including removing belts and shoes at security checkpoints and even checked baggage being X Rayed.
Fast forward to 2005. I am in the Miami Airport on my way to Brazil. The ticket lines are jammed, the luggage screening lines are about 100 deep with piles of baggage to be scanned. I decided to just put my checked luggage in line with all the others and make a dash for the incredibly long security checkpoint. Just as I had passed through security, I heard my name paged and was being told to report back to baggage check in. They had seen something in my luggage that they wanted to inspect.
All the way back to baggage check in, open the suitcase so they can inspect (and found nothing) then yep, you guessed it, back through a security checkpoint with lines twice as long as as the original lines I had already passed through earlier.
I made my plane with about 5 minutes to spare and was sweating bullets that I might miss it.
In Rio, I was telling a buddy about the near miss experience and he told me about the new TSA locks. TSA inspectors have a master key they can use to open and inspect suspicious items, leave you a very nice little note that they did so and you never have to return to baggage check in when they need to perform an inspection. Not 1 but 5 did I buy when I got back to the states. Every piece of luggage I own has one and a couple with multiple zippered sections have two.
So whether you are traveling domestically or internationally, you should have these TSA locks on any zippered or any section of your luggage that can be opened and locked. Save yourself a harrowing hassle and the possibility of missing your flight. You'll be glad you did!
