Chances are you carry more valuables with you when flying than you ever would on a normal day. Not just your wallet and phone, but maybe a laptop, cash, cameras, jewelry: all rich loot for thieves.
If you took these riches with you when you went to the supermarket, you wouldn’t leave them unattended – and yet you could be separated from your bag for hours on a plane because it’s in an overhead bin.
Airlines do not release statistics on in-flight theft – and when incidents occur, police reports are provided by local police at the plane’s destination, making it impossible to assess exactly how many carry-on thefts are taking place, or whether the figures are accurate . increasing.
However, headlines about high-profile cases are certainly increasing. This winter alone has included a man stealing $23,000 in cash from fellow passengers on a flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Singapore, and the arrest of a ‘serious’ theft suspect in Tokyo, allegedly on targeted flights across Asia . to Europe and the US.
“In-flight theft is not as daring as you might think, and some people make it a career,” says personal security expert Lloyd Figgins, CEO of the Travel Risk and Incident Prevention (TRIP) Group, and author of The Travel Survival Guide. “Thieves can easily see where you put your luggage and when you are distracted. On cheap domestic flights, criminals can more than cover the cost of their ticket by stripping tourists of their valuables – and avoid having to go through immigration or security checks when disembarking. They just disappear.”
How do thieves operate while in flight?
Crimes range from simple to advanced. Last summer, the Canadian government updated its travel advisory to warn of an increase in “theft from carry-on luggage stored in overhead compartments and under seats. The traveler often only realizes much later that something is missing.”
In November, Mudit Rai landed at Lucknow airport in India and discovered that his bag containing an Apple laptop had been swapped for another. “When the plane landed, I stayed seated, waiting for others to leave first,” he told local media. Rai initially thought it was an innocent mistake, but the incident is now being investigated by police.
In the case of the arrest in Tokyo, police said the 51-year-old suspect would pretend to check his luggage into the luggage locker while stealing passengers’ valuable euro and US dollar bills – and exchanging them with small denominations of Indonesian and Cambodian banknotes, to maintain the weight and volume of the wallet.
Do airplanes have camera surveillance?
Airplanes do use camera surveillance, but generally they have no view of their cabins. After the September 11 attacks, commercial airlines installed cameras at their cockpit doors so pilots could keep an eye on those requesting entry – but wider surveillance was quashed by airline unions over concerns that workers would be unfairly monitored on the job .
On solid ground it is a similar story with Eurostar, which also has no camera images on board. However, national trains and ferry companies often have cameras: it is common at Stena Line, Brittany Ferries and P&O Ferries, among others.
In the absence of CCTV, there is no one monitoring the comings and goings of a cabin, except the passengers and cabin crew – who are of course trained to spot incidents. “Like [crew] To identify suspicious behavior, the protocols require them to inform the pilot, who is the highest authority on the aircraft,” a Vueling spokesperson advises. “If necessary, the pilot can decide to request local authorities to intervene.”
What should you do if your hand luggage is stolen during the flight?
If you notice anything missing, inform the cabin crew immediately, Figgins says. ‘Don’t wait until you’ve left the plane, because by then the thief may have disappeared or handed over your belongings to an accomplice. Thieves often work in pairs or groups to minimize their chances of being caught. Make your complaint known and encourage other passengers to check their belongings as they could also be victims.”
Whether you notice the missing belongings during or after the flight, you should request a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) from the airline and report the incident to the local police for report. “This is crucial,” said Jonathan Frankham, managing director of travel insurer World Nomads. “You should also keep all associated documents – tickets, luggage tags, etc. – as these are crucial for any claims. Please keep receipts for any emergency purchases you need to make, along with itineraries and booking confirmations affected by the incident.”
If you’re claiming cash or valuables, you’ll need ‘proof of purchase’, warns Tim Riley, MD of travel insurance company True Traveller. “You will need to provide a bank statement or ATM report to prove that you withdrew the money.”
And before you buy a policy — or entrust your carry-on to a remote locker — check your insurer’s terms and conditions regarding “unattended possessions,” says Riley. “Policy formulations can vary. Lost luggage is usually covered if it is not left unattended, so this means theft from a luggage locker may be covered
How to secure your carry-on luggage during the flight
“Think of the safety of your carry-on like an onion,” says Figgins. “Make it layered: the more security procedures (layers) you have, the more difficult it makes the thief’s job. Criminals like to select targets that are easy and give them the best chance of not getting caught. Make it difficult for them.”
Place your carry-on luggage in the locker opposite your seat, rather than the one above you, so you can see if anyone tries to interfere with it – and lock it with a padlock if possible.
You should carry valuables such as cash, passports, and electronics with you at all times, especially when you are sleeping or in the bathroom. “As close to your skin as possible,” says Figgins. “Spread your money in different places and never keep it all in the same place. Passports fetch a good price on the black market and are therefore particularly attractive to thieves.”