8 Tips for Preventing Theft on Your Next Flight
Jan 26, 2015, 1:01 am
#1
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8 Tips for Preventing Theft on Your Next Flight
While the impetus for posting my blog entry was VN's warning to pax about in-flight theft, my personal list of tips should be applicable everywhere. It includes:
What do you think?
Full blog post:
8 Simple Tips for Preventing Theft on Your Next Flight
Disclosure per FT rules: The link above goes to a blog, VNAFlyer, to which I am a regular contributor.
- Don't carry lots of cash.
- Don't use a travel lock.
- Put your bags in easy line-of-sight.
- Put carryons (or at least zippers) in overhead bins top-handle-first, face-down.
- Sit in the aisle seat.
- Ring the call button.
- Don't sleep, so you can be aware of your surroundings.
- Don't leave your stuff out in the open when you sleep or get up.
What do you think?
Full blog post:
8 Simple Tips for Preventing Theft on Your Next Flight
Disclosure per FT rules: The link above goes to a blog, VNAFlyer, to which I am a regular contributor.
Jan 26, 2015, 3:58 pm
#2
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Pretty much in agreement.
Putting the carry-on across the aisle and a row forward makes it easy to keep an eye on your bag.
I remember the experienced AF flight attendant who was eventually arrested for stealing and pilfering from passengers' carry-on during her NRT-CDG overnight flights. LINK.
Others have been robbed in flight by fellow passengers (Iirc, Cybill Shepherd's son was arrested for that).
Putting the carry-on across the aisle and a row forward makes it easy to keep an eye on your bag.
I remember the experienced AF flight attendant who was eventually arrested for stealing and pilfering from passengers' carry-on during her NRT-CDG overnight flights. LINK.
Others have been robbed in flight by fellow passengers (Iirc, Cybill Shepherd's son was arrested for that).
Jan 26, 2015, 10:24 pm
#3
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I remember the experienced AF flight attendant who was eventually arrested for stealing and pilfering from passengers' carry-on during her NRT-CDG overnight flights. LINK.
Jan 26, 2015, 11:29 pm
#6
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As long as it's not overhead and behind you, and they don't have a ballpoint pen! 
#5 - I'm an aisle guy anyway, usually in an exit row by virtue of status, so it doesn't bother me. For the regular flyer, I guess they have to weigh their preference for an inner seat vs. accessibility on the aisle for one more reason.
In re: #7, in my blog I did qualify with "if possible," and it's certainly almost impossible on a long-haul flight. That link JDiver posted involved an FA who stole while pax were asleep, so a patient thief could wait it out.
In the end, for me it's all about throwing up as many hurdles as possible, hopefully enough to dissuade the would-be thief... or (unfortunately) move on from my bag to another's.
In re: #7, in my blog I did qualify with "if possible," and it's certainly almost impossible on a long-haul flight. That link JDiver posted involved an FA who stole while pax were asleep, so a patient thief could wait it out.
In the end, for me it's all about throwing up as many hurdles as possible, hopefully enough to dissuade the would-be thief... or (unfortunately) move on from my bag to another's.
Feb 1, 2015, 6:41 pm
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A friend of mine works for the Australian Government in a sensitive area and when he travels there are so many conditions he must follow about his laptop. Such as overseas custom agents are not allowed to look at his laptop or touch it without Australian Embassy staff present and he must take his laptop everywhere with him. He said he gets funny looks when he has to take it to he toilet on the plane.
Feb 1, 2015, 8:14 pm
#8
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A friend of mine works for the Australian Government in a sensitive area and when he travels there are so many conditions he must follow about his laptop. Such as overseas custom agents are not allowed to look at his laptop or touch it without Australian Embassy staff present and he must take his laptop everywhere with him. He said he gets funny looks when he has to take it to he toilet on the plane.
I have a cable lock for my laptop that I'll use on board and elsewhere, but if I don't have one, I'll bring it (along with phone and tablet) to the lav as well.