Plastic wrap is used to cover checked luggage for many reasons, such as cleanliness and safety. If the TSA has to inspect your bag, it will not be stopped by plastic wrap. They will simply cut through to perform the standard checks.
There are many odd airport jobs. Some airport jobs are odd. For example, “bird guys”, who keep away birds, empty toilets and wrap luggage in plastic. The first two jobs make sense—it’s important to keep the runways clear and the planes clean— but most travelers aren’t sure about the third. Since the early 1990s, luggage-wrapping machines have been a staple at U.S. airports. Even more are found abroad. One Miami-based firm, Secure WrapMore than 500 employees wrap luggage in 17 countries.
Why do passengers cover their luggage with plastic?
Wrapping luggage is done for a variety of reasons. Some travelers wrap their luggage to protect it from scratches or marks. Others wrap their luggage to protect its contents. Some travelers believe that if the suitcase is covered in plastic, it will be less likely to get inspected. TSA It may also be tampered with by criminals who are inclined to steal, or worse still, hide something incriminating. It is for this reason that luggage wrapping is common in high-risk locations. In 2015, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, located in Manila, made headlines due to a purported bullet racket. The “laglag bala scam” was a corrupt airport employee allegedly placing bullets into the bags of passengers. Passengers were encouraged to pay bribes in order to avoid being arrested for flying with ammunition.
Some travelers, particularly those who are going to countries like the Maldives and Australia that spray insecticides and disinfectants on their arriving flights, will wrap their luggage with plastic to protect the contents. Many people wrapped their luggage in plastic when I arrived in China, because they spray insecticide and disinfectant on arriving flights. wrote one traveler Reddit, someone said that they regretted not having wrapped their bag before because their clothes were soaked. Travelers will also need their luggage wrapped if their suitcase has broken or if they have a zipper that is rogue. Paying $15—what Secure Wrap charges at Miami International Airport—to wrap a broken bag is a lot cheaper than buying a new suitcase at the airport.
What happens to luggage that has been wrapped by the TSA?
TSA spokesperson Lorie Danker tells Travel + Leisure The same rules apply to luggage that has been wrapped in plastic as they do for luggage that does not have plastic wrapping. All checked baggage is screened before it’s handed over to the airline baggage handlers to load onto the plane. It’s estimated that in the U.S. there are 1.3 million bags checked each day. TSA and their counterparts overseas use X ray machines with 3D scanners to search for objects that resemble explosives, or other hazardous material. Some airports rely on K-9s, which can detect anything from bullets to explosives. It doesn’t matter if you wrap your luggage with plastic. The X ray machines will still scan it, and the dogs won’t be deterred.
Approximately 95 percent of the bags pass this screening. They don’t require a physical inspection by a TSA official. Bags that are flagged, get opened—this means plastic wrapping will be cut, and locks will be broken if they’re not TSA-approved. The TSA in the U.S. examines luggage within a controlled environment that is monitored by CCTV. It is important that the property of a passenger not be tampered with (in an unnecessarily) by anyone. The TSA agent will repack the bag and add a slip to the bag indicating the bag has been inspected, so that the passenger can understand why the bag was opened. However, the bag will not be rewrapped in plastic.
Some luggage wrapping companies, like Secure Wrap offer free rewrapping when the TSA cuts off the plastic packaging. These companies also offer a guarantee equal to the compensation offered by airlines for damaged or lost luggage. Note: These types are subject to a variety of terms and conditions.
What other things can you do to secure your luggage?
Many airports are considering banning plastic bags due to environmental concerns. You have other options if you’re looking to secure your luggage. You can start by using TSA-approved locks. luggage straps. You can invest in a reusable luggage cover If you are concerned about aesthetics.
