EVEN if you want to make your suitcase more secure, you should avoid putting a padlock on it when going on holiday.
A baggage handler has explained how locks don't stop people breaking into your luggage - and instead make them think they have high value contents worth stealing.
The airport worker explained why on a Reddit forum which asked what secrets airline staff knew that passengers don't.
They wrote: "It's literally not even a deterrent.
"Some might take it as a sign that the bag is worth searching."
Others explained how it is still very easy to break into a bag, even if it is locked, simply by using a pen.
They added: "You can pop a zipper with a pen and drag the locked zipper pulls around the bag to close them back up."
Some suitcases have TSA approved locks, which means they can be only be opened by TSA agents in the US without breaking it during routine checks.
However, new technology revealed that anyone can break into a suitcase using the locks, after a report found master keys have been replicated using 3D printers.
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Experts have also warned travellers never to have their home address on luggage tags.
If thieves steal your entire suitcase - containing your keys as well - this means they can easily break into your house and car.
Instead, they recommend putting a work address or a mobile number.
Not locking your suitcase could cause problems for your insurance claim - with electronics thefts not covered by some travel providers if there is no lock on them.
If you want your suitcase to arrive first, you should put a fragile sticker on it, according to travel experts.
You should also put some of your items and clothing in a partner's suitcase and vice versa - so that if one bag is lost, neither of you are left without anything to wear.
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This blog post was updated on September 15, 2022.
OK, you’ve finally made it! It’s the first day of your long-awaited vacation. Finally, you get to relax and forget your worries while lounging languorously on a beach chair with a hurricane glass full of a ridiculously colorful cocktail. The last thing you want is for something to go wrong and interfere with your plans of doing nothing whatsoever for a full two weeks.
Have you given any prior thought to the security of your luggage? What if it accidentally opens while you’re getting out of the cab? What if some back-end airline employee decides to rifle through your unmentionables while no one is looking?
That’s where luggage locks come in. Some luggage comes with the locks built in, but there are also individual locks that you can buy to lock up any otherwise lockless luggage.
What about airport security? The TSA is legally allowed to inspect any bag before it’s loaded onto an airplane. How can they inspect your bag if it has a lock on it? And if airport security can get into your bags, does that mean that anyway else can?
To answer these and other questions you might have about whether and when you should be using a luggage lock, read on. You certainly want to make sure, after you’ve gone through the trouble of tracking down cheap international flights, that you’re going to be able to enjoy your trip safe in the knowledge that your belongings are secure.
Checking in for a Flight
Some travelers believe that locking their luggage will prevent bags from being inspected. Those people are mistaken. The TSA has certain recognized locks that it permits passengers to use. The TSA has worked with these manufacturers so security agents are able to open any of these locks with a master key, but no one else can. If you’re using a lock that isn’t approved by TSA, agents have the authority to break open that lock to search through a bag. If you’re carrying your valuables with you in your carry-on bags, and you don’t have anything really valuable in your checked luggage, then you may not need to use a luggage lock. Unless, of course, you’ve got any especially valuable socks or underwear.
Going to and from the Airport
Once you hop off your flight and arrive at your destination, you’re going to need some type of transportation. If you’re taking a bus where luggage is stowed below, or you’re taking the subway from the airport to your hotel, you should definitely use your luggage lock. Even in the most seemingly modern and sophisticated cities, there’s still a chance that you could be robbed. Several people will be handling your luggage on your journey, and it’s possible that your bags may have to sit somewhere on a sidewalk or in a hotel lobby while you’re busy checking in. A lock will prevent anyone from quickly getting in and out with your valuables.
RELATED: A Guide to Quick and Efficient Weekend Trip Packing
When in Your Room
You have many options when it comes to places to stay at your chosen destination. Whether you’re staying five-star hotels or humble hostels, people you don’t know will often has access to your luggage. Clearly, if you’re staying in a shared room with other traveler’s (aka strangers), you’ll want to lock up your luggage when you’re asleep or you’re not in the room. When you’re staying in a hotel, housekeeping enters your room to clean, so be sure to lock your valuables either in your bag or in the safe in the room. Although a locked safe is useful to have in a hotel room, a locked suitcase may be a better option. Only you will have the key or code, unlike the lock safe for which hotel staff might have a master key.
What do you think? Do you use a luggage lock when traveling? Tell us in the comments below!