Traveling by plane with Image Bank - portable hard drive

Greetings! I shall be taking a plane trip soon to Reno - Nevada. I
shall be traveling in my carry on briefcase an Olympus D-510 digital
camera, a spare memory card and two extra sets rechargable batteries
and Image Bank - a portable hard drive made by SIMA. Will there be any
problem with the scanners?

Secondly any member of this NG who has traveled recently by plane can
tell the rules about locking one suitcase. It seems one is not allowed
to lock the checked luggages any more.

With thanks.

 

Nope. X-rays have no effect on magnetic media.

You're allowed to lock your suitcase. However, if TSA decides that it wants
a peek inside, it will break the locks.

Yesterday, I checked a crammed-full suitcase at SNA. About 20 minutes later
(and just as I was getting into my glass of wine at the airport bar), I was
paged by "security." I eventually tracked the call to TSA. It seems that
they were unable to open my bag and thought it was locked. They asked if I
had the key. I explained that it was just packed full -- a sharp thump over
the locks should open them. When I arrived at my destination, I found that
my advice worked -- the bag was as I closed it, but inside was the TSA
"we've looked in here" notice.

This was the second time in about a month that my bag was opened by TSA
(though each time there were electronics inside).

However, do not assume that all TSA inspectors will take the trouble of
trying to track you down and ask if you have a key for your lock. They'll
just crack your suitcase open and attempt to reseal it.

Best advice: NEVER pack anything of value in checked luggage. As a rule,
unless your bag looks peculiar on the x-ray, they won't want to open it
(Mine did -- it held a clock radio, a jar of screws, a television remote and
some other odd things). If you use soft-sided luggage that is secured by
zippers, you can use luggage locks -- TSA will force them, and reseal the
zippers with plastic ties. You're only out the cost of the lock, and you
have some security against theft by those in the baggage handling chain.

As a rule, I don't check bags -- everything is carryon. I have a
considerable investment in high-quality carry-onable luggage that is the
maximum size allowed by the airlines.

 

Nope. Be sure the batteries all your electronics equipment are charged
so you can demonstrate the equipment if any of the TSA guards asks.

Check http://www.tsa.gov for the official policies on air travel and
your airline's web site.

 

You are correct. The TSA "requests" that all checked baggage be left
unlocked. I would now consider anything of value in checked luggage to
be a gift, to someone you don't know.

Lisa

 

As a rule, I don't check bags -- everything is carryon.

If I have to check bags, I've been checking two, even when I only need one.
That way, they are only half full and won't explode (pardon my French) when
TSA tries to open them. Secondly, you can put rare or more expensive items
in one bag (for this one I have it unlocked but use a cable-tie between the
zippers), and put anything that the stupid machine might interpret as
plastic explosive in another bag (this would be 'dense' material--like my
tubes of German curry ketchup--even a stack of books if I remember what the
TSA wrote when they first started the program; this bag is of course also
unlocked). The TSA are good about re-cable-tying the cable-tied back if
they have to snip it. I have two easy-rolling bags. If the path gets
narrow or on moving sidewalks I push one ahead and drag the other one
behind.
thanks.