Continental Airlines, PDX-HOU-GPT. Got home and discovered my "Pub Bag"
was missing from one of the checked bags. Held my GPS, Jep CR5,
sectionals, knee board, flashlights, gloves, knife, Leatherman, signal
mirror, misc other items that accumulate in a pilots flight bag. A call
to Continental told me it was tough and none of it is covered. I asked
if I flew with them in the future if all my checked baggage had to be
in a locked hard case in the future, the answer was "YES". I suspect
this is true with all the airlines now and even if I had it in my big
Pelican hard case with double locks, THAT could have gone missing and
they still won't cover the electronics or other valuable items. You get
screwed coming and going. Don't travel with soft bags if you check the
bags.........
Ol S&B

....
> Continental Airlines, PDX-HOU-GPT. Got home and discovered my "Pub Bag"
> was missing from one of the checked bags.

Family flew to Paris over spring break -- was KLBB to IAH (Houston, Bush
Internatioal) on Continental Airlines and Air France to Paris, Return trip
on Sat was the reverse using Continental to Lubbock from Houston.
Ended up that some gifts purchased for friends were missing from checked
baggage on arrival in Lubbock.
I have some doubt that bags can be locked -- at least on international
flights.
Our bags had inspection certificates inside when we opened them.
Gaylon

All the recent commercial flights I've had the bags unlocked and was
able to put locks on them at the other end before they went to the
baggage hold. Never a problem with that part. Trouble with the soft
bags is a knife can make short work for an entry/exit hole. All the
damned zippers can also lead to internal access bypassing the locks and
that I think was my problem.
Locking a hard case is preferred to preven both someone taking
something out as well as a guard against someone putting something in.
That was? is? a major problem for pax returning from down south. A
package of coke or some such was put into a bag and it was tracked to
the US where it was cleaned prior to customs.... I wouold hope that
hole has been plugged now. That is still a problem with US tagged autos
going across the border. A stash is hidden someplace in/on the car and
then followed home where it is removed. If the innocent occupants get
popped at the border, they have one helluva time trying to work their
way out of why they were carrying discrete packages. No doubt in my
mind that is going on all the time......

"gaylon9" > wrote in message
news:Vbp0e.2041$Qz.469@okepread05...
> I have some doubt that bags can be locked -- at least on international
> flights.

I flew from London to Ottawa with a colleague one time and he arrived to
find his suitcase padlock had been cut off. Nothing missing, (or added) so
probably just a routine check, but I've had my bags checked routinely after
check-in myself before and they always put an announcement out asking me to
go somewhere and open the bags for them in their presence.

I always make a habit these days of carrying on any expense electronics.
However, could be interesting explaining why you're carrying GPS and other
pilot paraphenalia on a flight these days if you're not scheduled crew!

Si