I never used to bother and never had a problem but I have heard of people that have had things stolen so now I always lock my bags. Locking a bag does make it harder for an opportunist thief. Thieves want to get in and out quickly, without drawing attention to themselves, so anything you can do to make that more difficult for them will make your luggage less likely to be broken in to. The truth is, even if you lock your bag, if a determined thief wants to break in to it then they will probably manage it as there is normally a weak spot in any bags zips, hinges etc as well as the locks themselves.
You can use any type of lock to secure your checked bags. It can be a keyed padlock, a combination lock or you can use the lock actually built in to your suitcase latches, if they are fitted. However, if a security agent needs to check the contents of your bag after it has left you then they will have to cut your lock off, or break the built in lock, to gain access, destroying the lock obviously.
TSA approved luggage locks are generally combination locks, although sometimes they operate with a key. What makes them TSA approved is that a TSA security agent can use a master key to open the lock without breaking it should they need access to carry out an inspection. This means the bag is secure from opportunist thieves as they will not have a master key. Using one of these will make life easier should your bag need to be inspected after it leaves you at check-in.
Your flight is less likely to be delayed if the security agent has quick access to your bag rather than having to physically break in. Also, it could save you the cost of buying a replacement if they did have to break in. Not at all. Firstly, you have the option of not locking your baggage at all. It also protects your bag from dings and better still, should your zipper fail, the plastic keeps your possessions from spilling out.
Several airports offer this service and some will even rewrap your bag if security needs to make a closer inspection. Keep in mind that you cannot recycle flexible plastic like this, so this is not a very environmentally-friendly solution.
How do you keep your suitcases secure when you travel? Do you use a lock, zip tie, or plastic? Or do you just leave it unlocked and hope for the best? Tell us about your luggage locking method on our Facebook page , or on our Twitter stream.
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