You know those transparent plastic bags that you can use to pack? The kind that go very flat when the air is removed?
How do airport security people react to those when they go through your luggage? Are they statisfied that the bags are transparent and assume you haven't wrapped your underwear around some contraband? Or, do they open the bags and poke around? If so, that's a real disincentive to buy them.
I use the deflatable bags plus the mesh packing cubes and always breeze right thru security in Europe plus South America. Everything that is in my suitcase is confined to a bag.
That's good to know, Kathleen.
I pack my clothes in the 2 gal. Ziploc bags, squishing them down to remove as much air as possible. I have apparently never had any of them opened by screeners, since they still appear "vacuum-packed" on arrival. I don't see any point in purchasing the special packing cubes since the large Ziplocs work just as well and you get 10 or so in a box for about $3.
Both hold luggage and carry on luggage is scanned by a machine. They only ask to examine a bag's contents if the scanners pick up a suspicious looking object. It doesn't matter what clothing you wrap around an object, if it's suspicious the scanners WILL detect it, but if there's nothing suspicious you can pack whatever you like in plastic bags.
Just a word of caution! If you plan on using those transparent bags, remember that your item will get heavier. The air may be sucked out, but people tend to over pack since they have 'more room' in the luggage.
I agree with the one traveler who uses the 2 gallon zip lock brand. Its cheaper and does the same trick. I also pack some items in my back pack (in the event) my so called carry on is requested to be checked in. That way I have at least a change of 1 days clothes or a sweater/sweatshirt in my day pack in case its cold... and the zip lock not only protects my clothes against an accidental soda spill (or any accident) bt also squeezes out more room in my pack.
On my last trip one of my empty 2 gal. Ziplocs served as a pillow when I overnighted at Heathrow. I just blew air into it and sealed it up. :)
