TSA Locks

New travel guidelines

With all the increased security surrounding travel in North America these days, if you’re going to lock your luggage (and you should!) you need to use a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) lock.

What is the TSA?

The Transportation Security Administration was formed immediately following the attacks on the World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001. The TSA is the organization that includes all the security officials you may encounter while traveling in the United States. This includes security officers, inspectors, air marshals and security managers.

The TSA oversees security in all forms of travel. They’re involved with highway, railway, bus, mass transit and airline travel.

What is a TSA Lock?

The TSA regulations are meant to protect all types of travelers.While they respect the fact that you want to secure your baggage when it’s out of your possession, they also have to be able to screen each bag.

A TSA lock won’t be cut off of a bag. There’s a recognizable symbol affixed to each of these locks that lets screening officials know that they can access the bag without damaging the device.

Most TSA locks are combination locks that secure the zippers on your baggage. However, there’s an added key lock to these devices that can be opened with a TSA security device. When a security official sees the TSA symbol they know that they can unlock and lock the bag without damaging it. Out of respect for your efforts to make their job easier, officials will relock your luggage if they unlock it for any reason.

Luggage Straps

You can also find locks accessible to Transportation Security Administration in luggage straps. These types of baggage locks are straps or cables usually wrapped twice around the luggage.

Similar to the combination version, a TSA security device is able to open the locks on these straps so that security officials don’t have to cut them off to inspect your luggage. This means that your baggage stays secure, but doesn’t impede the security process.

Traveler Safety

Some TSA locks will also offer the traveler peace of mind with a device that signals whether the bag has been opened or not. These are as simple as a small light that shows red if the lock hasn’t been touched or green if it has. With this alert you’ll know if your bags have been inspected or tampered with and can double check your possessions before leaving your place of travel.

Overall, TSA locks reliably provide travelers with security while also allowing officials to continue to keep travel safe.