@cengland0 or do what TSA has done on some of my bags - just cut off the zipper pulls so you don’t have to deal with the TSA compliant lock holding the zipper shut.

@Kidsandliz I don’t travel but Mrs. cengland0 does – a lot. On this last trip, her bag was inspected by the TSA. She had a TSA compliant lock on it but they didn’t put the lock back on. They didn’t even put it in her bag. It’s like they lost it or stole the lock but nothing else. Weird.

So she went to Jetblue to complain about the missing lock but they cannot do anything about it because it was TSA. Who do you go to when TSA takes your lock? It’s definitely a TSA compliant one made by Samsonite so they have a master key to get in. They open her luggage every time it’s over 50 pounds and they have always returned the lock in the past.

@cengland0 If you were to complain about the missing lock, it is almost guaranteed that they would say that Jetblue was to blame.

@cengland0 Do I really want a bag that practically screams that there is something worth stealing inside? Kinda like a camera bag with NIKON in big letters. Nobody ever takes a camera carried in a diaper bag, and some look pretty nice!

@Kidsandliz TSA is eye candy. Ugly, foul smelling, and bitter eye candy. It should not exist.

@rlesueur Jetblue said they never open luggage so anytime a lock is cut off or opened, it’s always TSA that is responsible.

@cengland0 I was referencing the documented cycle of airlines blaming TSA and TSA blaming the airlines for missing items. It is a convenient cycle where no one is accountable.

@rlesueur I WATCHED the airline baggage guys open carrying on bags we were forced to check as they tossed them off the plane. They didn’t even zip shut some of them and it was raining. I had a lock on mine (non-tsa as this was a carry on bag) and they opened and left open all the pockets (which were empty) but my main compartment was left alone. I was in the back of the plane and could see the action. We were held up because they were so slow getting the forced check as the overhead is full bags off for plane side retrieval. Then the airlines wasn’t interested in our complaints.

@Tiverty I’m with you. I have an old Paul Smith duffel that used to be within carryon size and 10 yrs later is about 2" too big. I’ve been able to sneak it on most of the time because I rarely stuff it full. I’ve been hunting for a 22x14x9 (looks like RyanAir is 20x16x8).

@Tiverty I got this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01G6K3BEE/

And while I don’t really have a lot to compare it to, I like it. It is fairly tougher than it looks. And it is perfectly dimensioned for a carry on. The only downside is the strap clips can come undone so you might want to reinforce with zip ties or something. I don’t know if you’re looking for something high quality, but this one is pretty good for the price.

Don’t forget you can bring a pretty stuffed backpack in addition to the carryon for free with most airlines.

@Tiverty if you can stretch a bit the Kirkland (Costco) roller carryon has lots of space and is pretty bullet-proof. $99. When the pull bar is up you can toss another bag/pack on it and give your back a break.

Whatever you do, avoid the silly 4/8 wheel spinners that seem to have taken over the luggage business. The most stupid and fragile design possible no matter what brand. Stick with 2-wheel rollers.

@Tiverty You might want to look for something like this…https://www.flightattendantshop.com/travelpro-flightcrew5-22-expandable-rollaboard/

Anything marketed to flight crews is good bet to hold up overtime.

@mike808 Only if you handcuff it to yourself.

@mike808 do you think Dora and Flat Stanley, are y’know. . . getting it on?

@DVDBZN THIS!!! I can’t agree more – this bag is no more secure than a regular duffel bag. You can force open a zipper with a pen and re-close it with no sign of the forced entry. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=open+zipper+with+pen

@plsuh Actually the pacsafe zippers are pretty resistant to this type of opening.

@Bjlauria That link has scheazy written all the eff over it. I wouldn’t trust that site with anything.

@jc283 those impressions pretty closely align with mine. This month’s VMP charge went thru yesterday and I’m considering setting a flag to cancel for just before the next cycle so at least this cycle gets auto-credited back.

@Notfat hopefully you went to the order on your account page within 60 minutes of ordering where you would find a very handy “cancel order” link. That link disappears after an hour.

Otherwise you’re at the mercy of customer service to catch it in time and they don’t typically work on the weekends. @Thumperchick

@Notfat write in to meh.com/support and we will try to catch it before it queues for shipping.

Thanks, @RedOak

@toddlamp secret tip - don’t tell anybody…

Tie or wrap short lengths of neon colored (of your choice) paracord or survey line around all of the handles of your black bags. Standout.

@RedOak My brother used to travel for his job. He used a pink ribbon curly bow. He said it was like it was electrified the way fellow travellers would recoil when they would see the bow.

@RedOak Does that work when the bag is upside down? I don’t have any handles on the bottom.

@therealjrn I’m sure if I just painted the entire bag a neon I wouldn’t have a problem either. Sure there are lots of little things I could do. One of them is to find a replacement bag that isn’t black seeing as how I wanted to replace my current bag anyway. Problem solved.

@toddlamp most of our bags have handles on at least two sides and we tie all handles.

That and it in spite of attempts, it is exceedingly difficult for the handlers to get your bag to balance on the top, handle side.

Even if you have a duffle roller, they tend to have handles on both ends as well.

@therealjrn … so he chose that color and knot to intentionally get the goats of his colleagues?

@therealjrn I did this for years with an ugly green piece of yarn. Works great.

@RedOak No, just for when other plane travellers would reach for his bag.

@lera are you 100% sure the address you’re entering is identical to the bill you receive from the credit card company?

@RedOak well, I just went and checked that and it is… except the apartment number is on the second line. So I fixed it on meh and it still didn’t work and so then I changed it on credit card and it still didn’t work. Maybe it’s cached and takes awhile to update. I ended up using a different card and finally got to give them my money.

Thanks for the advice!

@lera sometimes with the meh form you have to put the apartment number on the first line and address on the second. Not sure why.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

@djslack oh, that’s weird. Thanks, I’ll try that next time I buy something. I would definitely prefer to use the original card that didn’t work instead of the other one I had to finally end up using (for rewards points reasons).

@Bevvie get a suitable pet cage for travel, find someone who wants your cat or take it to a shelter.

@Bevvie Not if you clench your cheeks nice and tight.

@RedOak Done. Give me ur address. P.S. I think she’s sick.

@Bevvie we prefer dogs and went that way. You’re on you own.

@RedOak maybe you should be a humorless douchebag on dog posts only

@Bevvie RedOak is far from a douchebag. If anybody is appearing to be a little douchey it’s you right now.

@therealjrn where’s the comment thread for adults?

@Bevvie classy. Ad hominem always loses the day.

It does seem pretty nice though.