My suitcase was opened by customs, well in fact they broke the lock of it and taped it back up with "inspected" all over it. Another couple who joined us had there pad locks cut off!!! Nothing was taken, it was just a bit annoying, I had to go and buy a new one

Sue

It is easier to leave your baggage unlocked as it stops customs breaking into your bags. I think there is more chance of them checking if you lock your case.

A high number of our customers are arriving home from USA with stickers on their luggage saying it has been checked.

I buy cable ties from general stores. Take extra in case your cases get opened on the way or back (sometimes TSA will open it in front of you).

Make sure you have taken a method of cutting open the cable tie - I usually pop a pair of nail clippers into an front or back pocket of the suitcase (remember you can't have sharp objects in hand luggage), else you wil be stuck at your destination without a way of getting into your luggage

Heid
xx

You should leave your cases unlocked for travel to/within the U.S. I've checked into flights in the U.S. and they've had a sign on the counter advising people to do this.

I never lock my suitcases anyway, it's way too much trouble to find the stupid little keys, and I can't see how they'd be much of a detterent to a thief anyway.

I'm more worried about people putting drugs or firearms in my case. You have to cinfirm that the case was in your possession at all times before checking in, but what about afterwards????

Steve

Yes i can relate to that Stephen.

When we were returning home from Orlando Airport, our suitcases didnt disappear on a conveyor belt. The security guard stood with the cases, that had to be left open in the middle of the room. We hadnt checked in this room for Virgin before, we have normally gone where it is packed and lots of airlines etc.

We were quite worried because the case was stuffed full of winter clothes, leather coats etc that we bought. This would have looked very suspicious as it was July!! Do you know that if they did check them, nothing was disturbed as such. But when you think your case was whipped from you straight away and you don't see it until you land in the UK.its quite worrying.

As reguards Keys, i would lose them as well

We have hard plastic cases with combination locks and ALWAYS lock them.

We have never had them opened and i understand that the x-ray equipment is sophisticated enough to mean they won't be opned unless there is a replica gun or something like that inside.

Dear All,

We have just returned from the United States, and completed many internal flights using our locks at all times.

When we checked our cases in for our internal flights, we waited to one side whilst they scanned the cases. If they required them open (which they did) we were at hand with the keys. They did not seem to mind, and it saved them time.

For your information we used Gatwick, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Hawaii, LA, and returned to Heathrow with locks intact.

Karen.

I had my case opened and searched on my New York trip a few months ago, I would advise using cable ties if you really want to 'lock' your case.

As i mentioned already ours was checked before it even got to an X-ray machine.

We were departing back from Orlando Int from the bottom floor, there was only a few Virgin staff in there, this wasnt the normal part of the airport i had been in before on usual visits.

Virgin staff asked us if we had locks to undo them, if not it would be broke open.

Then security came and asked us questions whilst in line, he then checked our passports and put a sticker on the back to make sure they were checked.

Then we had to take our passports to the only girl at the deck to get our seat tickets and check passports again.

I asked her if she wanted our cases as there was no conveyer belt to take them, she said no, give them to the main in the middle of the room.

We gave them to him, un opened as they had asked, he then took them with everyone elses to a room, he said to check through them.

We didnt see any x-ray machines, or go through any until we got a lift to where everyone else goes before the departure lounge.

Then we had to take our shoes off and flip flops before going into the lounge area.

By this time, our cases had gone, we had no idea where and nothing to say it had been taken from us.

All this happened on July 22 2003.........

When we landed at Manchester, i was quite nervous wondering if our suitcases even made it, but they did.

Remember we never had them weighed either, or if they did, we never saw them being weighed, i know we should have had to pay extra as we brought back leather heavy coats and winter jeans, sweaters etc. But we never got billed.

I think we went into this part of the airport to check in because they were extremely busy, it was a lot better, quieter etc.

Sanford airport is a lot quicker to get to and go from than Orlando Int.

As long as you have the keys to unlock them, you will be ok.

Just arrived back in Glasgow via Sanford to discover one case had been opened but left unsecured, despite the stated procedure on the leaflet we found inside.

Upon checking, we've also found one (inexpensive) gift to be missing - an old classic DVD movie.

Hi , we left both our bags unlocked in the end . And checked in and out and through customs as normal no problem . It was only when we returned home and opened our cases that we found a leaflet in side one of our cases to say it had been searched . Nothing had been taken .

On the leaflet it did say that if your case was locked then it may have been nessacary to break open the locks , a process which they take no responsiblility for . We were glad we'd left them unlocked in the end in the end !

You were very lucky to get a leaflet, we never got one? Maybe ours slipped through the net, good job with all the winter clothes we stuffed in it.

I'm glad to hear that there were no problems with your cases

Steve

I'm getting very worried about this "not locking your case thing". This is a total lot of rubbish if you ask me. I've been on holidays for the last few years and have always locked my case before departing. We bought 2 brilliant combination locks this year but from reading all this it doesn't look like we'll be locking them. I think uncle sam is freaking out a little too much.

There were signs telling us not to lock cases. You have to remember what the United States have been through, it is all extra precaution. Even going through state of the art machines doesnt pick up everything.

We had to remove all shoes, keys, etc as well and place them in baskets. Most people didnt mind.

There x-ray machines must be really useless. I use one here in my workplace and I can tell if there is bomb in a parcel or not. Oh well looks like it'll be cable ties I suppose. What I would worry about Michelle is what can be done to your cases while you cant see them. What if something was planted in them? Not a very good policy.

Cheers all.....

I agree about that statement, i was worried about our cases being searched. Fair enough if we are present, but ours was left not on a conveyor belt, but by a security guard in the middle of the room in Orlando airport with Virgin staff.

I am not sure mine was searched as they would have known i was over the limit and had all winter clothes stuffed in it from the Malls, as it was summer, it would have looked suspicious.

Where can you get these cable ties from? They sound like a good idea but I haven't heard about them before.