130
The three holes are perfectly spaced, and too clean/consistent on both sides to be a rush job with a handheld drill. The dimples on the bottom suggest to me they were punched on a specially made jig.
Look close at the photo and you can see the vestiges of a rectangle around all three holes, making about a 2-hole-width margin around the holes. The ...
69
Note (from Yale):
TSA Security Officers inspect more than 2 million pieces of baggage every day. It is faster and easier for them to open your Travel Sentry locks using their special Travel Sentry tools than it is for them to cut or break open a lock. However, it is rare but possible, that the TSA may have to cut open a Travel Sentry lock if it has been ...
60
Not a solution for the current problem, but for future reference it may be good to keep in mind: As others have pointed out, TSA-compliant locks are a joke and a waste of money. They are not secure and do not serve the purpose (any more) that you would traditionally expect from a lock. Too many non-TSA people can also open them (besides possible criminal ...
56
Get your own key for the TSA lock. Unfortunately for the traveling public in the US, these locks are notoriously insecure. Keys for them can be had for $10 or less on eBay. (example)
55
I carried my Cpap device to/from USA with no problems. I contacted the airline in advance to enquire as I'd not done this before and - like you - I was unsure of the procedure. Without any hesitation they updated my booking to two pieces of hand luggage (one medical). Cabin crew too were helpful and asked if I needed to sit near a power outlet.
At TSA and in ...
46
I asked https://www.facebook.com/AskTSA and they've told me that it is not allowed in carry-on bags.
(12:44:55 PM) Ask TSA: We're glad you asked! Rolling pins must be
packed in checked bags. Safe travels! -Kirsey
(12:46:42 PM) 可买: So I cannot bring them onto the plane with my
carry-on luggage? (I don't have any checked in luggage)
(12:53:15 ...
44
Why would the TSA/CBP/other agency drill holes into the bag, when they could've simply opened it?
Holes are normally drilled when a suspicious trace shows up from another test - for example, there may have been an anomaly on the x-ray, or a sniffer dog may have given an indication.
Smugglers are extremely adept these days at concealments - customs ...
43
As JonathanReez mentioned in a now-deleted comment, the pivot point is not in your suitcase; it's part of your scissors:
(source: Weebly)
An alternative phrasing could read:
If packed in carry-on, their blades must be less than 4 inches long.
42
The other answers are correct, but they rely on the assumption that wet wipes are not liquid, gel, aerosol, cream, or paste, without any evidence that the TSA would accept that. As you correctly pointed out in a comment, wet wipes contain liquid.
How can we check whether the liquid contained in wet wipes causes them to fall under the 3-1-1 rule? Try the ...
42
There is no requirement that your entire party go through TSA together. Everyone needs their own boarding pass and ID and can go through security without the rest of the group.
Source: I have gone through TSA separately from other people on the same reservation many times
41
When you are randomly selected for additional screening (which is a core part of TSA PreCheck as well as TAS procedures in general), the additional screening applies to you and all of your possessions.
TSA knows that almost every passenger going through security has a cell phone, so when you didn't have one they queried that fact - if for no other reason ...
39
There's no mention of electronic boards etc in the TSA prohibited items list. So provided they aren't so heavy as to be a potential "blunt instrument" weapon, you should be ok. If they're in original packaging, that might help. Of course, they don't have to let any items through, restricted list or not.
You may also wish to check the website of your airline,...
38
According to TSA.gov, the FAQ says no:
I’m traveling with my family; can they also use the TSA Pre✓® lane?
Family members ages 12 and under traveling with an eligible parent or guardian with a TSA Pre✓® indicator on their boarding pass can participate in expedited screening.
Family members 13 and older must go through standard security lanes ...
38
I've heard that this happens frequently with the TSA in the United States
You may have heard wrong. In 2014 the US airport with most TSA complaints filed was JFK in New York with 891 complaints. In the same year the airport handled 53.3 million customers. It's also fair to assume that not all claims are based on a real event (since it's an easy way to make ...
35
There's no generally available program that would allow most people to bypass airport security altogether. Some categories of people are exempt from the normal security process after identity and background checks (though they are still subject to random checks), such as flight crew, some senior government officials with security details, police officers who ...
31
The only online mechanism for filing claims is through the claims page on the TSA website.
You may file a claim if you are injured or your property is lost or
damaged during the screening process. Screening at certain airports is
performed by private companies and not TSA.
However, don't anticipate a speedy resolution:
Please allow up to six ...
30
Wear trousers without metal and by preference ones that stay up without a belt. It is not a given that you will not be checked but it will make it less likely and you will feel better when you are standing there.
Take everything out your pockets, including hankies and odd pieces of paper. You can put them in your bag or a coat you take off and send through ...
29
Call the airline to see if they have any suggestions.
TSA does not require you to have ID:
In the event you arrive at the airport without valid identification,
because it is lost or at home, you may still be allowed to fly. The
TSA officer may ask you to complete a form to include your name and
current address, and may ask additional questions to ...
29
You want clothing that appears invisible to the millimeter wave scanner, so you appear naked i.e. no false positives. Any metal will obviously show up, but anomalies in fabric density can also appear as a suspicious object. When I travel I avoid:
Velcro fasteners,
Cargo pockets (multiple layers),
Tucking in my shirt (rumples),
Baggy clothing or ...
28
Normally I carry a small bag for the overhead compartment, but I was flying from Heathrow to NYC once and carrying only my baise en ville...
It caused me to get flagged up for further questioning by airline security (it was a US carrier). They were very worried that no baggage was checked and I had no carry on.
I was attending a party on short notice ...
27
The only possible difference is that in the EU, they may not have the TSA keys. Therefore it just becomes like a normal lock that you have the keys for and they don't. So worst case, they may flag the bag for inspection and require you to open it for them.
Indeed in Europe you're still allowed to lock it with whatever lock you want, so it's perfectly ...
27
No you do not. A Known Traveler Number is for PreCheck. You can get into PreCheck via a number of programs, including Nexus. For Nexus people, put your PASSID (from the back of your card) into the Known Traveler Number field.
A redress number is like an override if your name is on the Do Not Fly. Most of us don't have them. But people with the same name as ...
27
The Swissgear TSA lock instruction manual has some guidance on how to reset the red indicator:
To reset & hide the red indicator:
To return the red color indicator back to its original hidden position,
simply push it back into the lock body with a small pin-like device,
such as a paper clip. The TSA color indicator is now reset.
Tho
The OP ...
26
The CBP/TSA have recommendations from both their own and external parties about certain individuals for whatever reasons - innocuous, cautionary or other, indicating that their recommendation is that said individual not be allowed to board a flight.
For example, the CDC (Center for Disease Control):
CDC provides “Do Not Board” recommendations to CBP and ...
25
No, using a "TSA lock" is not compulsory. What using one does is enable TSA to physically inspect your luggage, if they so deem it necessary, without cutting your existing lock(s).
If you use a "TSA lock", it has been designed to allow TSA to use a master key to open it. Of course, this also means, as you have surmised, that anyone else with a master key ...
25
The TSA does not "freak out" and does not have jurisdiction in the country you are visiting, however you should declare these articles on entry to your arrival country.
If you fail to declare them, you can be liable for a fine or even jail time.
The basmaati rice will likely fall under any number of food related prohibition sections (a full list with ...
24
If you have travel insurance, you can file a claim for damaged baggage. You should look at a reasonable option to fully repair the damage, which may include buying a brand new suitcase if there is no reasonable way to fix the problem with the lock. You then file a claim for the expenses made to your travel insurance company. They can then say that you must ...
23
While mathematically, your logic is sound, the answer is almost always no. Basically, they're not going to measure everything out. 3.4oz (or 100ml for simpler numbers) - what if you have 98ml or 95ml? They don't have the time or the inclination to measure all to say 'yes you're under 100ml'. As a result, it'll be on the bottle size.
Source: personal ...
23
You will almost certainly be unable to board a flight to the US with your EDL, since it is explicitly prohibited by the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which brought EDLs into being in the first place.
You could in theory get an emergency passport at a US consulate, but from your description of your location you seem to be closer to airports in Alaska ...
21
When you're making rules like this, simplicity and objectivity are vital. You don't want (whether you're a traveller, a supervisor of the security staff, or a person trying to prevent terrorism) a situation where security staff need to make decisions on their feet based on whether the passenger's story is good enough or any other kind of judgement call. Hmm, ...
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