Airport going through checked luggage..

[TonyTony]

I came through Manchester airport the other day and we had a delay on the whole planes luggage coming through on the carousel.

I noticed later on when I got home the new number lock padlock on the zip (which had the skeleton key lock thing they should be able to open anyway) was gone.

I had 2 boxes with a few disposeable contact lenses in there and it looked like some had been taken out then scattered around my bag.

There was nothing on my bag to tell me its been opened or inspected, is this normal?

[red_slr]

No requirement for them to tell you, or ask.
Searches have to be recorded and authorised by management and if anything sensitive is found, such as confidential documents etc they (airport security) have to notify HMG and log that also. I think for them to open sealed items within the case it has to go up the chain of command to senior management.

Basically once you hand over your bags its fair game. Coming back into the UK is often the only reason they need to open your case.

[steveo3002]

checking for ipads and valuables sir....all normal

[Frank7]

red_slr said:

No requirement for them to tell you, or ask.
Searches have to be recorded and authorised by management and if anything sensitive is found, such as confidential documents etc they (airport security) have to notify HMG and log that also. I think for them to open sealed items within the case it has to go up the chain of command to senior management.

Basically once you hand over your bags its fair game. Coming back into the UK is often the only reason they need to open your case.

I’ve never heard of bags being opened airside, before being put on the carousel, I thought that if H.M. Customs had any suspicions, they’d give you a tug as you go through customs, not open your bag not in your presence, all you’d have to say is, THAT wasn’t in there when I checked in at wherever, you could have put it there.
On a couple of occasions, coming in from the U.S., we’ve got home and found a printed card from the American TSA, saying, “You’re bag was opened and checked by a TSA agent, thanks for your understanding”, or words to that effect, we have TSA approved combination locks on all cases that are checked into the hold.

[alorotom]

We’ve had bags searched on many occasions, normally to/from the US.

Only ever had one item go missing on the search, and it was my then fiancés (now wife) garter (we were flying out for our wedding)

Normally there is a leaflet as others have said

[Sgt Bilko]

It may have fallen off the conveyor from the aircraft and burst open (hence the lack of a lock). It may have seen searched under s159 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 by Border Force. There are other laws concerning the covert search of property but this doesn't sound so covert. Plus if it was one of those lock-through-zips which doen't lock into the bag structure, there is a very easy way of opening them without removing the lock.

[OldSkoolRS]

My wife had two brand new bottles of perfume taken from her hold baggage coming back from Tenerife. She'd bought them on the way out from Gatwick, put them in the hold luggage to come back...they left the packet and the receipt, so not question that she'd forgotten to pack them. They didn't put a note in either.

Nothing we could do about it as we'd got home before we'd realised. Turns out it's quite rife, though maybe we'd been lucky as never had a problem previously (though I always take valuables in carry on anyway).

I see people getting their bags clingfilm wrapped at the airport. I'd always thought them a bit paranoid (not now), though I do wonder if this would make it more of a target for a customs search? At least it would be obvious when it comes off the belt, unlike us not spotting it until we got home (not that I think we'd have been able to do much about it).

Edited by OldSkoolRS on Sunday 12th August 15:29

[DuncsGTi]

Hanover airport nicked my Zippo years ago, put a receipt in its place saying I had 14 days to claim it back. My return wasn't until a month later so I lost it

[TonyTony]

Hmm well nothing is missing, it wasn't very full, just a sweaty suit and a few bits and a couple pairs of worn boxers and socks.

[Shakermaker]

Frank7 said:

I’ve never heard of bags being opened airside, before being put on the carousel, I thought that if H.M. Customs had any suspicions, they’d give you a tug as you go through customs, not open your bag not in your presence, all you’d have to say is, THAT wasn’t in there when I checked in at wherever, you could have put it there.
On a couple of occasions, coming in from the U.S., we’ve got home and found a printed card from the American TSA, saying, “You’re bag was opened and checked by a TSA agent, thanks for your understanding”, or words to that effect, we have TSA approved combination locks on all cases that are checked into the hold.

It is not unheard of for them to check baggage before it goes on the carousel and then see if the person decides to go through the "Items to Declare" channel - where then choosing not to do so when you've got 10,000 cigarattes in your bag is liable to see you lose them...

[captain_cynic]

TonyTony said:

Hmm well nothing is missing, it wasn't very full, just a sweaty suit and a few bits and a couple pairs of worn boxers and socks.

You need to be careful with valuables in your bag, quite a few baggage handlers in developing countries have sticky fingers.

I just don't pack anything of value in checked luggage, also I put a used pair of undies on the top of my bag so the first thing they get is a fistful of dirty pants.

[TonyTony]

captain_cynic said:

You need to be careful with valuables in your bag, quite a few baggage handlers in developing countries have sticky fingers.

I just don't pack anything of value in checked luggage, also I put a used pair of undies on the top of my bag so the first thing they get is a fistful of dirty pants.

I usually travel with just a 10kg hold bag but I'll definitely be more cautious from now on!

[shirt]

Very doubtful that it was done at mcr. I’ve had the TSA leaflets before but I am most wary when transiting through not EU/US airports. If I am flying to africa for example i will do the cling wrap thing. Nairobi airport is one of the worst ime, had my case knifed open which is why i now use zip ties and cling instead of locks.

[TonyTony]

shirt said:

Very doubtful that it was done at mcr. I’ve had the TSA leaflets before but I am most wary when transiting through not EU/US airports. If I am flying to africa for example i will do the cling wrap thing. Nairobi airport is one of the worst ime, had my case knifed open which is why i now use zip ties and cling instead of locks.

I saw people with that bright green wrap around their cases at Milan airport, if somebody wants to get in your case they will just cut it off though, I don't really see it as much of a deterrent.


Edit:

I forgot to mention I was flying out of Milan Bergamo airport.

[shirt]

Its not a deterrent at all, but you know immediately that your case has been tampered with and can at least take it up with the airline rep and/or obtain a police report for insurance reasons. However, like any opportunistic theft they will always go for the low hanging fruit.

Similarly the cable tie is so that they cut the tie rather than knifing the zip and making it a ballache to carry the case.