Abstract: A latch for retaining together two parts of a piece of luggage has a latch element projecting from one of the parts, a housing mounted on the other part and shaped to receive the latch element, and a latch dog movable in the housing between a retaining position preventing the latch element, when engaged in the housing, from withdrawing from the housing and a freeing position permitting the latch element to withdraw from the housing. At least one operating element in the housing is displaceable in first and second nonparallel directions between an actuated and unactuated positions for, on displacement in the first direction and thereafter in the second direction, displacing the dog into the freeing position and for, on displacement in only one of the directions, leaving the dog in the retaining position. Thus if the operating element is accidentally hit by something the latch will not open.