Stolen Luggage - Worst airports?

[sadlier]

LAX is the worst - you just have to expect the stuff to be stolen. If you lock it up with a TSA lock they all have keys and that just tells them that there is something in there that you care about. And when you complain they all but ignore you.

These days I have zipper closures and don't bother locking them. Is that less enticing? Who knows? And anything valuable goes in the carry-on for LAX.

 

[Fantic125]

I learnt the hard way as well a few years ago. Heading over to Mexico for business and bought a new digital camera which I carefully wrapped and placed in my checked in luggage.
The suitcase lock was intact clearing customs at LAX, but when I picked my suitcase up in SAN the lock was missing and so was the camera....

 

[mudlark]

New son in law thought we were being paranoid when we strongly suggested he not put all his US cash in his checked in suitcase when the newlyweds travelled to Vegas via LAX in April.:shock:

 

[Danger]

Has anyone ever had a suspicion that something from their luggage has disappeared when travelling with Qantas or Virgin domestically?

 

[BAM1748]

Has anyone ever had a suspicion that something from their luggage has disappeared when travelling with Qantas or Virgin domestically?

No.

Matt

 

[BAM1748]

New son in law thought we were being paranoid when we strongly suggested he not put all his US cash in his checked in suitcase when the newlyweds travelled to Vegas via LAX in April.:shock:

Cash in a suitcase, that could disappear via any airport, I wouldn't blame LAX specifically for that one.

Matt
(never lost anything through LAX)

 

[Robmn]

Has anyone ever had a suspicion that something from their luggage has disappeared when travelling with Qantas or Virgin domestically?

Not with QANTAS I think they cleaned up their act some years ago. Luggage turnover volume too high for them to pick a bag.

Had one bag pilfered when travelling HAWAIIAN Air, missing some shoes from the outer pocket of the bag they didn't want to know about it. HAWAIIAN Staff in Hilo on the Big Island - few staff - small low volume of baggage handling. (Pocket had items of no real value no cable tie.) Someone must have been desprite for an old pair of shoes.

For some time now I have placed a small light cable tie into each zipper on each bag. Ancohored somewhere so if they spread open the zip can't rezip it without breaking the cable tie.

In this situation they can split the zip and if the toggles are movable it can be rezipped hence will go undetected.

So as a quick check if a cable tie has been broken its been tampered with.

r

 

[bigjobs]

LAX for me. had some gifts for my wife taken ... and I was really looking forward to seeing these gifts on my wife after being away for a couple of months

I was cranky at that. Now when in and out of LAX or transiting through, I take all tags off clothing gifts, remove all wrapping etc and pack it all 'normally'. Not had a problem since.


JNB, I always wrap in plastic and only pack clothing / toiletry items in my bag anyway. never anything valuable.

 

[Alanslegal]

Never had this unfortunate experience happen to myself, thankfully and touch wood, however maybe my things just aren't worth uplifting

 

[Robmn]

I wonder if its the xray screening at these airports and the screeners tip off the handlers or is it the screeners who go and check the bags when they spot some goodies?

I take all my valuables carry on. When my baggage goes missing I start and add up the value in just cloths and my travel items - still adds up to more than the compensation or insured value.

r

 

[jamesatfish]

Only time I've had something 'go missing' from a checked bag was on a 3 week RTW work trip. Somewhere on my DCA-LHR-DUB sector my suitcase was opened and one of my US-Australian adapter plugs was replaced with a TSA 'your bag has been inspected' pamphlet.

 

[oz_mark]

Has anyone ever had a suspicion that something from their luggage has disappeared when travelling with Qantas or Virgin domestically?

No, but it does surprise me how often zippers arrive opened on luggage.

 

[Robmn]

No, but it does surprise me how often zippers arrive opened on luggage.

Have heard of cameras missing from a TSA locked camera case. They were not allowed to take the case onboard.

Decent bags have decent zippers they don't just burst open.

r

 

[Sprucegoose]

JNB and LAX, from experience and talking to the Feds.

 

[Netty]

Very large % on bus tour lost valuables coming through AMS. By the type of items stolen (credit cards, cameras, costume & real jewelry, etc.) and location within the bags (hidden deep within clothes), the thieves must have used X-ray to locate the items quickly. The bags all looked undisturbed & were still locked. I don't check anything of value so nothing to lose. Although watched my bag being unloaded (thrown) onto the Tarmac & my Turkish plate smashed into 100 pieces.

 

[Moopere]

LAX ... and by a large margin. Its FF lore now and has been for decades, you'd think authorities would have worked out a way to fix the problem

 

[Sprucegoose]

Never. Virginal trust !

 

[AVC]

We just bought new luggage, Delsey. It's got double zips, unless you break the locks you cant split the zips.

In any case, I never check ANYTHING of value.

We flew SYD-PER for a dive trip, and as we hired a motor home we carried all our gear. It was huge. But I carried on board all our camera gear and dive computers, and I think even the regulators. We were pushing the limits for carry on, let me tell you.