Yesterday at MIA, our plane (flight 465 to ORD) was broken into during the night and the alcohol stolen. After a Dade County sheriff came on board to look it over, the gate agent glossed over the situation saying the on board staff thought maybe the cleaners took the drink bottles. However, quite a few passengers were very concerned about the possibility that someone entering the plane to steal could also bring something like a bomb on board also. I would say over 20 passengers bailed. Some came back when they learned that they would have a 2 1/2 day wait for another flight. Cruise passengers.

We saw no evidence that anyone was searching for unwanted items in the cabin. Between this and 2 mechanical issues, we thought UA should have flown in another plane for us. However, they spent 4 hours on repairs, etc and we departed and landed with no incident. Thank God.

Did they atleast bring bomb sniffing dogs to search the plane?!?

Deputy walked on. Spent 5 to 10 min. No dog. Left. FA's told passengers what it was about. I was still outside thinking I was a volunteer and the gate agent told us. So much drama. I have no idea how they determined who dunnit nor am I consoled by its possibly being done by cleaners.

Somebody's gotta say it, so I will.

If it was the cleaners, no worry, they've all had background checks.

However, out of an abundance of caution, they'll be stepping up TSA gate searches.

I already think about 33% of my flights are getting "random gate checks", to step up would be 100%! (all they do is glance at my ID).

It was not certain that it was the cleaners. They "thought" it was the cleaners. They did not clarify their guess. If they knew for certain, it might be another thing but they just discovered it that morning and were only surmising.

I believe you're absolutely right. They have required fingerprinted screening before they allow come to work. Must be 100% screening all airlines employees to runs the background checks.

Until a few years ago (okay, maybe 30) you could go to the airport at night and walk onto the field and walk up the maintenance stairs into the parked planes and look around. (This was at LAX, not just some little corn field.) I don't remember any problems with that system.

Nobody ever tried to climb into the cockpit on the pitot tubes?

Exactly. Someone's got to pay, might as well be the passengers.

How are airplanes parked overnight? Door closed and jet bridge not touching? And how easy/hard would it be for an unskilled cleaning crew member to "break in" to the airplane?

I'm assuming that this sort of "break-in" would be far more complicated than the a drug addict with a tire iron in a hotel parking lot.

Mad Bombers always steal the minis after they leave behind their bombs. It's in their union contract.

All large aircraft have emergency exits that can be opened from the outside. Now they may be blocked from inside the aircraft but I'm betting not all are.

Next time you're waiting at an airport try looking around the main cabin door of visible aircraft for a lock.

It's the same at MUC, except that one has to put a Euro coin into the slot before moving the turnstile.

(Oh, wait, that is actually the oldtimer vistor park at MUC )

Only the TSA pulls a stunt like that.