What Happens When You Don't Use A TSA Compliant Lock

Having been through a good number of TSA checkpoints, I have a pretty good idea of what can trigger a secondary check after a bag has gone through the  x-ray machine.  This goes for checked bags as well.

I much prefer to have my bags with me as carry on, but on occasion I have items that are not allowed on board - usually too large a quantity of something in liquid form.  One such item is my homemade jam.  

Jam triggers the checked bag x-ray every time.  How do I know?  I get the above baggage inspection notification every single time I am bring jam for my family.   Filled jam jars look like big black blobs on the x-ray, which automatically triggers a second look.  I don't blame them - I would want to know what "the blob" is too.

So for this reason I use a TSA approved lock - like the green one above.  A TSA agent can quickly unlock my bag, inspect it, lock it up again and get the bag on it's way.  

The last time I flew I also had a number of seasoning mix packets  in the outside pocket of the bag.     I didn't have a second TSA lock, so a regular lock had to do.  No real need to lock it but I didn't want the pocket to accidentally open and spill the ingredients. 

These packets triggered a secondary look as well. The result?  Check out the  gold Samsonite lock above.   I knew the lock wasn't compliant,  but I wasn't sure how they were handled.  Now I know! 

The moral of story  - use only TSA compliant locks on your checked bags unless of course you want the locks returned to you cut and nicely wrapped in TSA tape.  
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