Hi Redrat,
Well, I didn't seem to have any problem when I went MEL-LAX (and actually locked my bags with Samsonite combination locks). They didn't break them, but I wonder how they managed to guess the combination from 9999 possible ones ?
You also get a little flyer inside it (I still have mine as a souvenir) from the TSA, and it says "As part of this process (baggage inspection) some bags are opened and physically inspected. Your bag was among those selected for physical inspection"
Lucky me. It was probably all the boxes containing my tie clips / belts / ties that they looked at. The x-ray machines are probably fitted with Hugo Boss detectors
"During the inspection, your bag and it's contents may have been searched for prohibited items. At the completion of the inspection, the contents were returned to your bag, which was then resealed."
Yes. It was. With CABLE TIES ! :roll:
"If the TSA screener was unable to open your bag for inspection because it was locked, the screener may have been forced to break the locks on your bag. TSA sincerely regrets having to do this, and has taken care to reseal your bag upon completion of inspection. However, TSA is not liable for damage to your locks resulting from this necessary security precaution." (verbatim from the flyer that I got from LAX-CHI-ALB)
TSA: Our Travel Assistant
in reference to luggage; best thing is to use plastic cable ties as mentioned and i have also seen people completely rap luggage with thick industrial plastic rap(glad rap)! looks abit radical but hard to tamper with!