Attacks on baggage

[KARL]

I feel I have suffered an inordinate amount of damage to baggage when flying over the past 8 years or so. My cases are and have always bee hard shell Samsonite and the first of the examples I have in mind was in my view a deliberate smash to probe (optically or sniffing chemically) the contents. Nothing was damaged or missing apart from the case being effectively ruined in a location where it would nevertheless get to its destination without spilling its contents. This happened several times over before 11.9.01. This sort of thing has happened again several times since, including two relatively recent examples when the contents have clearly been interfered with. The most blatant cases involved cracking open (and ruining) one half of the case far enough to insert what appears to have been some sort of blunt stick or rod. This was used to repeatedly punch tins of food and in one case puncture it so the tin's contents went all through the bag by the time I got to my destination. Other items bore the marks of repeated impact. Never has anything gone missing. These last cases were on trips from a UK arport via Amsterdam to non-arab destinations east of the Mediterranean. Anyone else had similar experiences or any thoughts/comments ?

[ask-a-stupid]

a zip got broken on my rucksack once

[ICEMANSAV]

Is that not a bit old fashioned taking tins of food on a plane on holiday. Whats wrong with sampling local delicacy?

[maurizio]

It happened to me recently flying back from the US, they broke the lock of one of my samsonite suitecases but did leave a note in the suitcase that it was searched and were sorry about the inconvenient...... I suppose we should adapt to the times and change the way we travel, just pack the indispensable and don't pack any food and do not lock suitcased to/from States.

 

[slimfandango]

It could be the food. It's not permissible normally to transport food internationally (for agricultural reasons). I believe that certain foods are of a consistency such that they appear to be plastic explosives to the specialist kit (each costing well over �1M) which can pick up explosives from molecular structure or suchlike. I remember a lot of Dundee cake set them off similarly a couple of years ago.

[apricot2]

I've had some strange experiences in the USA too.  In 1996 I travelled with a suitcase full of knives.  I had no problems at all.  The following year, same airport I was stopped by security for having a duvet in a bin bag.  The tried to make me take it out of the bag but I refused as it had taken a whole group of people to get the duvet into the bin bag in the first place.  I described what it was (with some difficulty) and asked why there was a problem.  They showed me what they could see on their camera - nothing.  They had stopped me because they couldn't see anything!

Another time I was flying from La Paz with friends and we had all bought conical funnels.  I had just thrown mine in my rucksack but my friends who had packed theirs carefully inside shoes had to turn out the contents of their rucksacks on the tarmac.  Best not to place objects like that inside other things as it looks as though you have something to hide.

[KARL]

I agree that it must have been security related but extremely heavy handed - I have heard of jittery US officials reacting oddly (not many would be surprised), but wondered about ather destinations. The two trips involving food in baggage were work assignments of several months' duration at remote locations and were to serve as very rare "treats" - local delicacies apart, we all eventually long for other things. I am very grateful for everyone making the effort to contribute to this thread the best they can.

[KARL]

For "ather" read other - crumbs.....

[wingnut1]

Have to disagree with slimfandango - I travel to the USA twice a year on average and as far as I can ascertain, its ok to take food abroad as long as it isn't fresh - I always take chocolate, crisps etc for an english friend who lives there.  And why not take your own food with you - whether you want to or not isn't the point.  I had my case broken into earlier this year when visiting Las Vegas.  I had locked it (my case was very expensive but unfortunately not the best design - it had to be locked otherwise the case could easily pop open if the catches were caught) and all I had in there was clothes - I don't even think my toiletry bag was in there.  There was a note from the customs people saying sorry for the inconvenience but I couldn't claim from anyone for the ruined suitcase.  I now have a very similar case but it has zips.  When travelling from the States (I was connecting when my case was broken) you are allowed to wait while your case it x-rayed so you then have the option of locking it afterwards - why can't we have that here?

[trilobite]

I tend to use a holdall-type bag when I travel. I never bother locking it when I fly..

I figure that if someone wants to steal from it, they'll slash it open or whatever - but they'll get into it. Likewise, if it needs to be security inspected, they'll snip locks or do whatever they need to do to get into it. The end result is a damaged bag.

The most obvious case of security inspection was on a domestic flight to Inverness (pre 11/9) - the item that caused so much consternation? A geological hammer. If carrying something like that I leave it at the top of the bag so that it can be easily inspected - but this time they'd had everything out and my bag came out on to the baggage carousel (well, trestle table - this was Inverness airport !) with all me pants hanging out !!

[KARL]

More good answers, thank you. Come to think of it I have taken food as presents, but I don't think any such cases have given rise to attacks on the baggage. However, being seriously addicted, I almost always carry chocolate but never think of it as food - none of it has ever gone missing.