Travelers often find their luggage bags or trolleys scratched and with dents when they collect them from the airport luggage counter. This is naturally not a desirable situation for the bag owner and one thing that appears as an easy solution is a luggage cover. However, with all the new rules that the TSA is bringing, it is important to know their rules about luggage covers before starting to use them.
Fortunately, the TSA does not have any issue with luggage covers. However, in case someone’s bag gets flagged, the TSA can remove the luggage cover and check it. In case of luggage covers that do not come off easily, that might cause a problem and the TSA are authorized to cut through the luggage cover to get to the bag.
It is therefore important to use luggage covers made of materials that are easy to take off. For instance, spandex and polyester can be good choices of materials for luggage covers. It is also necessary to ensure that the cover does not obstruct the handle or the chains of the luggage bag or trolley as that would cause problems for the TSA to check the bag if necessary.
It is best to choose luggage covers made of easily removable materials. Even better is to get a luggage cover that would allow one to open the bag or trolley without having to remove the cover. A lot of brands make such that only serve as an outside protective layer without hampering the functionality of the bag or trolley.
Besides luggage covers, shrink packaging is another facility that certain international airports offer. This means that one’s suitcase gets tightly wrapped in plastic. While this might be helpful to some extent in protecting the bag, it will not be a pleasant situation when the bag needs to be checked.
In that case, the TSA will naturally have to cut through the plastic and once the checking is done, they do not offer to repack the back. Therefore, it is better to opt for simpler methods like using luggage covers to protect the suitcase. Covers having velcro or simple zips are the ideal ones to use.
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Another thing that people using luggage covers should keep in mind is that it is important to make their luggage under the cover as well so that no confusion arises in time to luggage collection. Given the fact that TSA does not provide any objection to using luggage covers, passengers can use them freely and protect their suitcases and trolleys from unnecessary dents and scratches.
