Company

Our story

Since 2003, our purpose has been to make travel safer and simpler.

We create standards to solve issues for airlines, airports, security agencies and passengers.

Jump to Milestones

Travel safer and simpler

Travel Sentry Approved locks, Travel Sentry ID tags, TS TAG and OKOBAN improve the travel experience.

Travel Sentry brands are licensed to over 500 luggage and travel accessories brands.

Travel Sentry advocates sustainable production and products, factory workplace safety and the reduction of packaging waste for all products bearing its brands.

Milestones

Click on a year and see what happened

  • Jan, 2003

    TSA is operational
    The Transport Security Administration began advanced screening of 100% of checked baggage at all 452 airports across the United States.

    Mar, 2003

    Travel Sentry System is created
    John Vermilye is the founder of Travel Sentry and the creator of the Travel Sentry® Approved lock system. He has over forty years’ airline baggage operations and security experience. John was approached by the Travel Goods Association to help establish a standards based system that would permit passengers to once again lock their bags yet enable the TSA to open these as needed for inspection. The Travel Sentry System was born

    Nov, 2003

    All US airports were implemented with the Travel Sentry system
    The Travel Sentry System was launched in all airports and the first Travel Sentry Approved locks went on sale 12 November 2003

  • Jan, 2004

    Product Innovation Award received
    At 2004 Travel Goods Association annual tradeshow in Washington, the Travel Sentry System was recognized for the benefits it provided to the travellers, the travel goods industry & the Transportation Security Administration but also the forward thinking initiative between private enterprise and the public agency

  • Mar, 2005

    10 Million locks
    For the first time, 10 million Travel Sentry® Approved locks were produced annually

  • May, 2006

    Japan implemented the Travel Sentry system
    Japan was the first country implementing the Travel Sentry system outside the US. Security officers at Tokyo Narita were able to open, inspect & lock Travel Sentry Approved Locks without the passenger present and without damaging the lock or the luggage

  • Aug, 2008

    OKOBAN is launched
    Okoban® by Travel Sentry is set up by John Vermilye solving the lost & found issue in partnership with World Tracer. Okoban creates a link between owners and their property, assigning unique codes to any item that needs to be protected from accidental loss. The system is part of the largest network of Lost and Found offices in the world

  • Nov, 2013

    40 million locks
    The number of Travel Sentry® Approved locks manufactured annually is up to 40 million by over 200 lock & luggage manufacturers all over the world

  • Jul, 2014

    Canada and Israel adopt the system
    All Canadian airports, all Austrian airports and Ben Gurion (TLV) airport adopt the Travel Sentry system so they can open and re-lock passenger luggage that uses Travel Sentry® Approved locks when a physical inspection is required to clear checked baggage for safe transport

  • Aug, 2015

    Finland, South Korea and the Netherlands join the System
    Security Officers at all finish airports and most South Korean and Dutch airports are equipped to inspect without damage luggage that uses Travel Sentry® Approved locks when a physical inspection is required

  • Jun, 2016

    5 more countries and 2 more continents
    In depth checked luggage screening in most major airports in Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Togo and New Zealand is supported by the Travel Sentry system, allowing security officer to open and re-lock passenger luggage that uses Travel Sentry® Approved locks when a physical inspection without damage

  • Jan, 2017

    50% of passenger traffic covered by the system
    One out of every two passengers today leaves from an airport using the Travel Sentry® Lock system: in 600 airports, in 16 countries, by 1.6 billion passengers annually, on 350 million locks, with more than 500 luggage brands

    Apr, 2017

    New Corporate Visual Identity
    Travel Sentry is proud to introduce a new Corporate Visual Identity. All trademarks and logos, including the Red Diamond, have been updated to fit the company’s manifesto: we make travel simply smarter. A new website, marketing campaign and brand videos are launched to promote this new visual identity.

    May, 2017

    China adopts the system
    Beijing Capital International airport is now equipped with the Travel Sentry system. It is the number 2 airport in the world and welcomes 90 million passengers annually with flights to over 250 destinations. This implementation consolidates Travel Sentry position as the global solution for airport security agencies worldwide.

    Sep 2017

    500 Million locks
    More than 500 brands have distributed more than 500 millions locks since the launch of the system in 2003.

  • Oct, 2018

    Brazil joins the system
    We are very proud to now help the Federal government and police of Brazil in their baggage screening inspection.

    Nov, 2018

    30 countries presence
    With over 650 airports using the system in 30 countries: USA, Canada Panama, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Finland, Belgium, Norway, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Sweden, Latvia, Austria, Estonia, Switzerland, Hungary, Malta,Turkey, UAE, Israel, Togo, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Ivory Coast

  • Oct, 2019

    System used in 50 countries
    With a majority of European airports now equipped with the Travel Sentry system, travellers can expect even more safe inspections and no damage.

    Nov, 2019

    Room to Read Funding
    Travel Sentry enter a long term commitment to support “https://www.roomtoread.org/”Room to Read to improve girls’ education in Cambodia. A first donation of 100 000 US$ will support 382 girls to attend secondary school and get life skills education and mentoring.

    Dec, 2019

    600 million locks produced
    More than 600 millions locks have been produced since the launch of the system in 2003.

  • Mar, 2020

    Travel Sentry ID Launch
    With over 6,000,000 Unique ID codes issued in the past 10 years and users registered in over 200 countries, Travel Sentry is strengthening its leading position in lost & found solutions with the launch of TSID in addition to OKOBAN.

Philanthropy

Doing our bit to help

Since 2019, Travel Sentry has been donating yearly 100,000 US$ to Room to Read to improve girls’ education in Cambodia.

This annual funding will support 382 girls to attend secondary school and get life skills education and mentoring.

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