HERE'S a strange way to ensure your checked luggage doesn't go missing on domestic American flights: put a weapon inside and declare as much to the Transport Security Administration (TSA). Under TSA regulations, the weapon must be packed in a hard-sided case and secured with an unbreakable lock. This means pilfering is impossible, and as a bonus the bag will be tracked more assiduously from check-in to baggage reclaim.

Gulliver saw a post about this recently, though in fact Bruce Schneier was making noises about it on his security blog back in 2006. Mr Schneier had seen some comments on a now-defunct blog, which suggested that even a starting pistol sufficed to give a bag special, weapon-carrying status. This was of considerable benefit to photographers worried about the fate of the expensive equipment they were checking into the hold.

All I have to do upon check-in is tell the airline ticket agent that I have a weapon to declare...I'm given a little card to sign, the card is put in the case, the case is given to a TSA official who takes my key and locks the case, and gives my key back to me. That's the procedure. The case is extra-tracked...TSA does not want to lose a weapons case. This reduces the chance of the case being lost to virtually zero.

Commenters on the more recent post have confirmed that this still works, though not necessarily on international flights. As the TSA points out: “If you are traveling internationally, please check with the authorities at your destination about their requirements.”

Gun-in-luggage is indeed a clever solution to a common enough problem. But it's one that Gulliver is uncomfortable with. Firstly, it renders some bags more important than others, and that's not fair when all passengers are paying the same baggage fees. And secondly, more obviously, it's just not a good thing for more people to be packing guns (even starting pistols) into their luggage and then waving them around at check-in desks. What does that do for nervy passengers?

I don't have any great alternative suggestion. If you're going on a photo shoot, for example, and need your cameras for work immediately on arrival, then even gold-plated insurance cover is of little help if they are lost in transit. Should you be able to pay more for guaranteed delivery of checked baggage? Perhaps, but I dread to think what happens to those bags that lack the guarantee. Maybe flyers who are that concerned about their bags should cough up for a spare seat in the aircraft? (Though that costs a lot more than a starting pistol...) Please share suggestions.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)