Baggage handler warns passengers against popular suitcase feature that locks zippers to bag
A baggage handler has shared a warning to travellers over a popular style of suitcase that may actually be putting your belongings more at risk
The airline worker specifically called out luggage with TSA approved locks that hold the zipper in place, going so far as to calling them "trash".
"I'm a baggage handler of nine years and I keep trying to tell people to stop using that TSA approved lock that's built into hard-cased bags," they said in a comment to UNILAD.
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A closeup of suitcases on a luggage conveyor belt at an airport terminal Getty
"It's TRASH! You're begging to lose your things," they continued.
They went on to explain it had more to do with their ability to mend a broken case, than its actual safety against thieves.
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"When your bags burst, we have to fix it. When it's very close to bursting, we fix it by re-zipping it. When zipper tracks fail, we fix your bag by re-zipping it," they said.
"We can't fix your bag when you lock the zippers to the bag itself. It happens too often, and we HAVE to send it out [half-busted] if it hasn't fully come apart yet."
Meaning you could be greeted by your bag and half its contents strewn on the baggage carousel.
The simplest solution here seems to be to not pack your bag to the point of bursting, and avoid any potential damage that way.
Digital lock on a luggage bag or suitcase. TSA accepted (Transportation Security Administration of US) Getty Images/iStockphoto
It comes after another airline worker also pointed out that padlocks on suitcases aren't a great idea.
"You can pop a zipper with a pen and drag the locked zipper pulls around the bag to close them back up. I've done this many times to identify bags that are tagless and locked," one person replied to a Reddit post which asked airline workers for secrets travellers aren't aware of.
Another anonymous staffer warned that using padlocks for safety can backfire.
"It's literally not even a deterrent. Some might take it as a sign that the bag is worth searching," they wrote.
Despite this, most airline staff seem to believe a hard case is the way to go when it comes to choosing the best luggage.
"I was team soft-case for years, but after switching to a hard shell, I'm never going back," a Virgin Australia flight attendant recently told 9Travel.
