In-Flight Theft Is On the Rise. Here's What You Can Do
After they board the aircraft, many passengers just stow their luggage in the overhead compartment and forget about it until they retrieve it after landing. While it would be nice to place our complete trust in our fellow passengers, apparently, this allows opportunists to gain access to peoples’ valuables and steal them.
That’s what happened when a man reportedly stole as much as $23,260 (about P1.3 million) from three passengers during a recent flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Singapore. According to a report on ChannelNewsAsia, the man tried to make off with Vietnamese dong and Singapore dollars from a black bag belonging to one passenger as well as cash in several other currencies from the bags of two others.
The report said the suspect tried to steal the money between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. while onboard a Scoot flight last December 16. He was caught and has been charged and is now awaiting trial.
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The incident follows a report last September about a man who reportedly stole cash from another’s passenger’s carry-on luggage on a flight from Tokyo to Taipei.
Cabin theft is more common than some people think. According to the CNA report, Hong Kong police had even warned of a spike in petty theft in inbound airplanes last October after discovering a crime syndicate that targeted passengers’ credit cards.
Meanwhile, the South China Morning Post reported that, from one and two reports of in-flight theft in 2021 and 2022, respectively, there have so far been 13 theft cases reported so far in 2023.
What can you do?
It sounds like preventing theft inside an aircraft mid-flight is just a matter of common sense, but it pays to be extra vigilant the next time you travel.
Here are some tips to minimize the chances of having your stuff stolen in-flight:
1| Keep your valuables close to you
Carry-on baggage automatically goes up inside the luggage compartment, but always make it a habit to keep your most precious items—wallet, credit cards, passport—close to your person at all times. Wear a fanny pack or stash your small bag with these items under the seat in front of you. If you’re traveling in business or first class, never leave your valuables in your coat pocket that you hand over to the flight attendant for safekeeping. They usually hang it up in a closet, which they and other passengers have access to anytime.
2| Double-check the locks on your carry-on bags
A simple lock can drastically reduce the chances of your bag being the target for thieves in flight. While this is no guarantee, one other trick is to place your luggage upside down, or with the zipper facing inside (rather than out) when you stow them in the overhead compartment. That’ll make stealing from it that much harder as would-be thieves will need to take the whole bag out to open it.
3| Stow your bag in the compartment across, not above you
The benefits of this one are clear: you can clearly see if someone is fiddling around with your bag. While you’re at it, resist the urge to stow your bag near the plane door, which some people do so they can get off the plane faster. You’ll feel better if you can see your bag and have easy access to it from where you’re sitting.
4| When in doubt, say something
Mistakes can happen, of course but if you see anything suspicious, don’t be afraid to speak up or alert the flight attendants. Better to sort it out immediately than have to face it duing the chaos of disembarkation.
