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May 17, 2004
Snort...snicker...
So I had to take my trusty old Dakota suitcase in for a little repair today. It sort of reminded me of the time when I was five and had to drop my favorite doll off at the doll hospital after the dog ate off her fingers and toes. Stupid dog...Friskie was his name and as I recall he came with that name which should have been a clue to our parents. Needless to say, he didn't stay long enough for me to form any attachment to him. Eating "Betsy" certainly didn't endear him to me much....oh pardon me...I digress...you never know when a "therapy story" will rear it's head. Anyway, the point was that it made me feel sad leaving my trusty suitcase, just as I had felt leaving my doll.
Back to my suitcase. Lessons learned...when buying quality, repairs are usually under some warranty. It may take a couple of weeks, by it looks like my suitcase will be back all restored by the manufacturer. ahhhh.
However, while in the shop the owner informs me that the new TSA Locks are in and available! As if I'm supposed to be excited. "Ohhh?", I say. He goes on to explain that these lock s are especially designed with a keyhole in the end for special keys held by TSA agents! Oh Happy Day........
So let me get this straight... if I lose my key or forget my combination, all is not lost, I don't have to cut off my lock...any of several thousand TSA agents in the US has the ability to get into my suitcase with their "special tools and combinations"
Ooooooo, that just makes me go squishy all over........
Each lock features the Travel Sentry™ logo, which alerts TSA personnel that they may open this lock without destroying it
Each TSA screening location has a secured set of passkeys with special codes to open locks, and will relock them after inspection
The Travel Sentry™ logo on the locks help the TSA to efficiently screen bags and prevent damage to checked baggage, 4 dials for extra security,Resettable combination
The lock can be opened at checked baggage screening stations operated by TSA at more than 400 commercial airports across the country
If a checked bag with this TSA lock needs to be opened and inspected, the screener will use a combination of codes and secured tools to unlock the lock. Following the inspection, the screener will re-lock the bag and send it on its way
The system will ensure that passengers using the locks will not have to worry about a lock being broken or a locked bag being damaged if it is selected for hand inspection. It will also mean more peace of mind for passengers worried about reports of increased pilferage from unlocked bags
The T.S.A. mandated screening of all checked bags starting last Dec. 31. Since then, most of the estimated 1.5 million bags checked daily in domestic airports have been inspected by bomb-detecting machinery - but about 10 percent of checked bags are opened and inspected by hand
Posted by frani at May 17, 2004 11:01 PM
Comments
Here's my question... If you're not supposed to leave your suitcase's unattended when you're traveling, what's the point of having the locks?
The only time you're away from your bag and it isn't being moved around allowing someone the opportunity to steal stuff out of it is when it's in the hands of the TSA. Goog to know the locks are pointless then too.
Posted by: Morgan at May 18, 2004 10:50 AM
Snort...exactly!
Posted by: fran at May 18, 2004 12:59 PM
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