Australian tourist in Bali asks for help as bag comes out with cable tie

An Aussie traveller was left confused after she touched down in Bali to discover her luggage had something tied to it — not knowing why.

An Aussie traveller was left baffled when she noticed her luggage had an orange cable tied to one of the handles following a flight from Sydney to Bali.

The woman, who was on a Jetstar flight, took to the Facebook group Bali Bogans which boasts 312,000 members, asking followers if they knew what it was all about.

“Does anyone know what this cable tie on our bags means? Arrived last night and one bag took a bit longer and came out with this tag. I’m guessing it was inspected?” she wrote in the post alongside a snap of her bag with the cable tie.

Many were equally confused by the orange cable, while others explained they too experienced the same thing.

“I had the same thing on my bag customs searched my bag and took my alcohol,” one person wrote.

“I had a tag, and they didn’t check me but it had cheese and salami inside it,” another person added.

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A woman travelling from Sydney to Bali on a Jetstar flight noticed her suitcase had an orange cable tied to one of the handles, taking to Facebook seeking answers. Picture: Facebook/Balibogans

A third person said: “I’ve had different tags before and they searched through my bag.”

However, the passenger explained she didn’t get pulled up by customs, prompting others to respond she was “lucky” as they had their bags searched because of the cable.

Others said they found green cable ties on their luggage once arriving at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar.

It is understood customs at Bali airport use cables to inspect a bag, previously they used chalk markings. Picture: iStock

“I got pulled up back in 2019. Mine was green and they pulled me up and searched and charged me $300 AUD … I was carrying Bluetooth speakers as gifts for my friends. They gave me option to leave at airport and pick up on way home,” a traveller explained.

“I just paid, I was sh****g myself. I had to sign paperwork and had no idea what I was signing!”

Another explained chalk was previously used in Bali to mark certain bags after X-ray and that the baggage ties “just mean you have something in your luggage they think you shouldn’t have.”

However, the Aussie traveller said she never got pulled up by customs. Picture: iStock

Angus Kidman, travel expert at Finder, told news.com.au if your luggage has unexpected markings or ties, it usually means one of two things.

“Either the airline has checked its contents in transit, or customs agents want to inspect it further as you pass through border control,” he explained.

“Historically, Bali has sometimes used chalk markings on bags to identify potentially troublesome luggage that might contain goods that are illegal or which will attract additional duties and taxes. Cable ties now seem to be part of the mix,” he said.

“Similarly in Australia, markings made by border security agents on your arrivals card can signal that your luggage should be subject to further inspection.”

Martin Engeler, Managing Director of Brisbane-based aviation security consultancy firm Airline Tactical Solutions told Yahoo 7, the orange cable tie seen on the suitcase pictured is not airline related, and is really more of a “Bali thing”.

“Baggage is screened before they come out of the airport … It tells customs to check that bag,” he told the publication.

“It’s for people who try to bring in stuff like electronics.”