A luggage lock is a lock used to prevent luggage from opening by accident, usually with little or no security in mind, although they may serve as a deterrent to potential thieves. They may be built into luggage, or may be external locks such as padlocks or lockable straps. They are typically relatively simple low security locks.
Function / Role
Baggage or checked baggage is normally carried out electromagnetic screening inspection (X-ray fluoroscopy) as part of airport security when entering a passenger aircraft in the United States territory, but an official of the Transportation and Safety Agency directly inspects the contents Since there are cases, it is required not to lock at all.
Regarding the locked baggage, an official of the Transportation and Safety Agency is permitted to destroy the lock mechanism, and there is no compensation for damages even if it is destroyed or the contents are stolen.
However, even if the owner locks with the key of the owner, the luggage / locks etc equipped with the TSA lock function, the official of the transportation security agency extracts voluntary baggage, unlocks the baggage by using special keyboard, and inspects the baggage You can do. Therefore, it can be locked and handed over to the aircraft leaving the US territory (including Guam, Saipan etc.).
Products adopting TSA lock include suitcases, padlocks, suitcase belts, wire locks and the like. Some products are equipped with an indicator that a sampling inspection has been carried out.
background
After the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001, people entering and leaving the United States greatly strengthened security inspections on baggage carried. For checked baggage of international passengers arriving in the US territory (including Guam, Saipan, etc.), also conduct a check of suspicious objects by electromagnetic inspection before delivery, opened the suspicious items and visually checked became. Also, when depositing in an aircraft departing from the US territory, even if there is no suspicious result in the electromagnetic inspection, it becomes subject to the opening inspection at random.
Security
Luggage locks are typically low security locks. The shackles have a small diameter, and are easy to clip using bolt cutters or similar equipment. Luggage locks based on a pin tumbler lock design usually use only three or four pins, making them susceptible to lockpicking, even with tools as simple as a bent paperclip.
TSA Accepted
In the United States the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requires access to luggage without the passenger being present; to allow travelers to lock their luggage they have accepted certain locks which they can open and relock. The TSA recommend that TSA accepted locks be used, as luggage locked using other methods must be opened by force in order to be inspected.
Luggage locks accepted by the TSA can be opened by the authorities using publicly known universal “master” keys. Locks using this system are produced to meet standards set by Travel Sentry. Under agreement with the TSA, it is Travel Sentry that sets the standards for these locks and approves each design. Every lock with the Travel Sentry identifying mark (red diamond) is accepted by the TSA.
Some TSA accepted locks feature an indicator which will appear red if opened by a master key, so the owner will know that their bag has been accessed.
problem
As of 2016, there are 11 kinds of master keys (TSA001 to TSA011) in the TSA lock. However, TSA officials are not always possessing all of this master key. Therefore, regardless of TSA lock locked, there are cases in which bags or locks were inspected by destroying them.
As a general rule, it is re-locked after the examination, but trouble returned without being locked is also reported, TSA lock in this state will not function as a key unless TSA officials are requested to re-lock, so care must be taken is there.
In September 2015, photographs of the master key (TSA 001 to TSA 007) were leaked on the Internet, 3D data of the master key was created and released on the basis of this, so that it is possible for anyone to create a key in a 3D printer became.
With these cases, in recent years the use of TSA lock is becoming meaningless or conversely considered as dangerous. As a result, major North American airlines are encouraging to recommend not “locking” all locks, including TSA locks.
Source from Wikipedia