When you travel to another state or country, you expect your belongings to stay safe the entire duration of the journey.
However, many people become absentminded with the packing and fail to properly secure their luggage before they hand it off to the clerk at the Airport gate check-in kiosk. That’s why it is essential to know everything there is to know about luggage locks before your next trip.
Benefits
While luggage locks may not be the most secure option to keep your luggage secure, they do offer some quick benefits. For one, luggage locks keep your bag’s zippers together so they don’t accidentally fly open while you’re in motion. Having locks on your bags may also deter opportunistic thieves while you’re traveling on a crowded train or bus.
Limitations
Having luggage locks on your bags isn’t always a guarantee that your belongings will stay safe. There are many videos of people opening large luggage cases with just a ballpoint pen. Or how to open the lock itself without even using the code in less than a minute!
Therefore, make sure to keep all your important items such as passports, ID cards, and flight tickets in your carry-on bag so as to ensure that they don’t suddenly go missing once you arrive at the baggage claim at your target destination. Having said that, here are some alternatives to using luggage locks for your next trip.
Alternatives
Zip ties
These are great to lock your suitcase if you want to save some money and space.
Seal & Go
This material is great if you want to delay the thief; by wrapping your bag contents in plastic wrap, you can delay your attacker further even if he breaks through the outside zipper. It just may not be too environmentally friendly.
Using TSA Approved Locks
TSA-approved locks are mostly combination locks that are deemed safe to use by the TSA at airport security screenings. Get these locks if you want to please the TSA and have a smooth experience at the security checkpoint. However, don’t expect your bag to be safe though. The TSA has master keys that open all TSA-approved locks if they feel like they want to search your bag anyway.
Right to Removal
This is basically the right for TSA agents to search your bags at any time and place. The searches can either be random or targeted, and in the most extreme cases, TSA agents can cut the lock off your bag if needed. There has been some controversy around using these keys, and many people have still reported that their bags were still broken into even after they got the TSA-compliant locks.
Therefore, it’s highly likely that the master locks the TSA uses have been hacked or compromised in some way. As a result, the amount of lock amateur groups online has increased and led to leaked schematics of the approved master keys that government officials widely touted.
Properly Secure Your Belongings Overseas With ASAP Key Service Montebello
In any case, use luggage locks with caution and never rely on them solely to secure your belongings traveling overseas. Find some alternative locking solutions and protect yourself with all the resources at your disposal.
If you need more advice on locking your bags properly before you go on vacation, give ASAP Key Service Montebello a call today. Our technicians are experts at securing your belongings and will give you expert advice on the best locks to use for your luggage and what you need to look out for while you’re hauling your luggage from place to place.