A luggage lock is a

lock Lock(s) may refer to: Common meanings *Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance *Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal Arts and entertainment * ''Lock ...

used to prevent

luggage Baggage or luggage consists of bags, cases, and containers which hold a traveler's personal articles while the traveler is in transit. A modern traveler can be expected to have packages containing clothing, toiletries, small possessions, trip ...

from opening by accident, usually with little or no security in mind, although the lock may serve as a deterrent to potential thieves. Luggage locks may be built into luggage or may be external locks such as

padlock Padlocks are portable locks with a shackle that may be passed through an opening (such as a chain link, or hasp staple) to prevent use, theft, vandalism or harm. Naming and etymology The term ''padlock'' is from the late fifteenth century. T ...

s or lockable straps.

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 The pin tumbler lock is a lock mechanism that uses pins of varying lengths to prevent the lock from opening without the correct key. Pin tumblers are most commonly employed in cylinder locks, but may also be found in tubular pin tumbler locks (als ...

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 United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

the

Transportation Security Administration The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that has authority over the security of transportation systems within, and connecting to the United States. It was created ...

(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 Travel Sentry is a company that develops and licenses standards used in travel security, including a standard for luggage locks that can be opened by aviation security agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). History Tr ...

. 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. Images of the master keys were left unsecured on the

web site allowing the seven master keys to be easily reproduced.

References

External links

Transportation Security Administration:TSA Recognized Baggage Locks
{{DEFAULTSORT:Luggage Locks Locks (security device) Luggage Transportation Security Administration