going to Philippines tomorrow but there's a problem...

[angela920 0]

hello guys! I hope you can give me an advice with my problem. My husband and I are going to the Philippines coming from SFO international airport. We are planning to stay there for 2 weeks and catch up with the Holy Week. The problem is... he doesn't want to lock his bags. He said that at the SFO airport, customs will check them without your presence and if its locked they will destroy the lock by force (is this true?). I don't know but i have never heard such thing. I came here from the Philippines and all my check-in bags are locked... they didn't destroy it. I saw they just scan it through x-ray... hell... they didn't even scan mine.

I'm worried because if our check-in bags are not locked... people might try to put anything inside like drugs, alcohol... etc.. etc... Especially i don't trust the Philippine Airport. There are so many incidents that unlocked bags are taken advantage of. I'm really worried. Is it really true that customs here just check your bag like open it without your presence? As if you could do something about it if they check it with you there.

Please give me some insights about this. Thank you!

[payxibka 10,047]

hello guys! I hope you can give me an advice with my problem. My husband and I are going to the Philippines coming from SFO international airport. We are planning to stay there for 2 weeks and catch up with the Holy Week. The problem is... he doesn't want to lock his bags. He said that at the SFO airport, customs will check them without your presence and if its locked they will destroy the lock by force (is this true?). I don't know but i have never heard such thing. I came here from the Philippines and all my check-in bags are locked... they didn't destroy it. I saw they just scan it through x-ray... hell... they didn't even scan mine.

I'm worried because if our check-in bags are not locked... people might try to put anything inside like drugs, alcohol... etc.. etc... Especially i don't trust the Philippine Airport. There are so many incidents that unlocked bags are taken advantage of. I'm really worried. Is it really true that customs here just check your bag like open it without your presence? As if you could do something about it if they check it with you there.

Please give me some insights about this. Thank you!

unless you have TSA approved locks, should they decide to inspect they, will cut off any locks.... coming in from the PI you do not deal with the TSA at any point, as TSA is a US agency.

[HappyDancer 7]

You can opt to buy TSA approved locks. it's just routine security check and random. You might have been lucky on your way into the US. If you had your bag locked and TSA couldn't open it, the likelihood of getting it slashed is very high.

Edited April 2, 2009 by HappyDancer

[angela920 0]

ohh i see.. thank you guys! I just browsed the SFO international airport website and I know now where to get the TSA approved locks!

[^KK^ 3]

Safe travels!!!

[angela920 0]

Safe travels!!!

Thank you!!!

[cdneh 3,112]

I use cable ties on my luggage. Keeps it together and I can tell if anyone has been into it.

[mari joe 1]

i used cable ties in my check in luggage also and just kept my important things in a carry on (back pack)

[chris and lorie 0]

i came back to PI last september and didnt lock my bag.it was just me and my 7mos old baby who travelled that time,i just handcarried a baby bag with me since my baby was too heavy plus i had to bring her car seat with us.I took pal from los angeles to manila...when i got home and checked my luggage, my camera was no longer there...the camera bag was still there.Good thing that i put my baby's clothes on top of my laptop and didnt get it..i reported it to pal right away and after 1 week got a letter from pal saying that they will not take it as their responsibility since i already brought my luggage at home..oh well who's stupid do u think will check their luggage at the manila airport

when we came back to US, ive learned my lesson and locked my luggage this time..they didnt open it, well i put 5 locks on it lol

[angela920 0]

i came back to PI last september and didnt lock my bag.it was just me and my 7mos old baby who travelled that time,i just handcarried a baby bag with me since my baby was too heavy plus i had to bring her car seat with us.I took pal from los angeles to manila...when i got home and checked my luggage, my camera was no longer there...the camera bag was still there.Good thing that i put my baby's clothes on top of my laptop and didnt get it..i reported it to pal right away and after 1 week got a letter from pal saying that they will not take it as their responsibility since i already brought my luggage at home..oh well who's stupid do u think will check their luggage at the manila airport

when we came back to US, ive learned my lesson and locked my luggage this time..they didnt open it, well i put 5 locks on it lol

oh im very sorry to hear that. I know it happens... I already bought the TSA accepted locks because I don't really trust luck on this one. They will.. and will check and take advantage of unlocked bags.

[Piscean 0]

hello guys! I hope you can give me an advice with my problem. My husband and I are going to the Philippines coming from SFO international airport. We are planning to stay there for 2 weeks and catch up with the Holy Week. The problem is... he doesn't want to lock his bags. He said that at the SFO airport, customs will check them without your presence and if its locked they will destroy the lock by force (is this true?). I don't know but i have never heard such thing. I came here from the Philippines and all my check-in bags are locked... they didn't destroy it. I saw they just scan it through x-ray... hell... they didn't even scan mine.

I'm worried because if our check-in bags are not locked... people might try to put anything inside like drugs, alcohol... etc.. etc... Especially i don't trust the Philippine Airport. There are so many incidents that unlocked bags are taken advantage of. I'm really worried. Is it really true that customs here just check your bag like open it without your presence? As if you could do something about it if they check it with you there.

Please give me some insights about this. Thank you!

Uhhmmmm...my fiance travel from SFO to HK then to HK to MNL connecting flight. He said that they don't destroy locks. They don't check bags anymore after the security check. If they destroyed the lock then inform them right away and you charge them for damages.

[spikeyflip 0]

i came back to PI last september and didnt lock my bag.it was just me and my 7mos old baby who travelled that time,i just handcarried a baby bag with me since my baby was too heavy plus i had to bring her car seat with us.I took pal from los angeles to manila...when i got home and checked my luggage, my camera was no longer there...the camera bag was still there.Good thing that i put my baby's clothes on top of my laptop and didnt get it..i reported it to pal right away and after 1 week got a letter from pal saying that they will not take it as their responsibility since i already brought my luggage at home..oh well who's stupid do u think will check their luggage at the manila airport

when we came back to US, ive learned my lesson and locked my luggage this time..they didnt open it, well i put 5 locks on it lol

Sorry to hear that =( I think it's more advisable that you put your valuables like electronics on your hand carry instead of your checked in luggage. Plus the baggage handlers throw those baggages like nothing so I'm more comfortable knowing my stuff is good hehe

[♥ Teena♥ Joe♥ 0]

Philippine airport guys steal everything they could possibly get. We went to Macau two years ago and we used Clark airport, even lighter and rechargable batteries they stole in our bags. That made my husband so mad even little things like that they get.

[Tahoma 2,292]

When I traveled from Manila to the U.S., I locked my checked suitcase with a TSA-approved lock. When I picked up my suitcase in the U.S., the lock was broken and it was obvious that someone had looked through my suitcase. There were no valuables in my suitcase, and nothing was missing. I don't know whether my suitcase was searched in Manila or on the U.S. side. Hmmm...

~ Tahoma

[payxibka 10,047]

When I traveled from Manila to the U.S., I locked my checked suitcase with a TSA-approved lock. When I picked up my suitcase in the U.S., the lock was broken and it was obvious that someone had looked through my suitcase. There were no valuables in my suitcase, and nothing was missing. I don't know whether my suitcase was searched in Manila or on the U.S. side. Hmmm...

~ Tahoma

if the TSA searches your bag they are suppose to put a "ribbon" on it so you know it has been searched