Avoiding theft on board the airplane
 

http://us.cnn.com/2013/06/04/travel/...rticle_sidebar

What jumped out at me was this quote from George Hobica (founder of airfarewatchdog.com):

I do lock my bag(s) going through the checkpoint, and I lock any bag going in the overhead. I feel safer that way than cabling my unsecured bag to the seat. He doesn't mention what he does if he leaves his seat for any reason.
The only thing currently worth stealing from my 'seat' bag are my sound-isolating earphones, but I generally unplug the cable and leave them in if I leave my seat.

What an interesting article.

While I typically only travel with a single carry-on bag, which I stow under the seat in front of me for the duration of the flight, I must admit that I have never truly considered that someone would steal from it.

I guess Hobica never travels in business or first internationally then. On United and many other carriers, there is no underseat storage -- only overhead.

It has happened - I recall the son of a former TV star getting arrested for stealing from the handbag under his seat (belonged to the pax behind him). I think you're particularly vulnerable if you sleep.

Or he only gives advice to cattle class! :p

This is something I have never thought about.

I'm usually flying internationally and if I'm on business then I'm alone.

My handbag contains my passport, wallet with credit cards, phones etc. It's usually under the seat (or in the seat closet if I'm in J) so it's accessible during the flight and I'll have a carry on in the overhead.

I suppose I could take the whole bag with me if I'm going to the bathroom but when I sleep anyone could rifle through my things.

If I'm traveling internationally, I'll wear cargo pants. All the pockets have my passport(s), money, travel docs, etc.

i do not think that an intelligent choice.(polite way of putting it)!!!

get an underclothing security wallet. forget the phone, ipod, and stuff. put your passport, credit cards, drivers license, paper money, any other important document in it.

I have a travel wallet that stays in my pocket with passport,
cards, cash, etc.

I keep my Kindle or iPad in my hands and if I visit the facilities
it goes with me.

Never considered anyone would be so bold as to start rifling
through my carry-on at 30,000 ft but this has me considering
the merits of locking it up now.

Given to the same custom, I'll go a step further. Mine come with Velcro pocket flaps, the sound of being opened guaranteed to wake me from a sound sleep.

I have not yet, even on distant shores (or flying out of MIA) become so paranoid as to cable lock a bag to the seat.

And, in some F, no overhead either.

Have you ever worn your cargo pants through a NoS? I prefer cargos myself, but I don't opt out, and given the enormous false-positive rate for the infernal machines due to things like sweat, body fat, and multiple layers of cloth, I've always worn jeans or something without cargo pockets when I fly.

Old enough not to worry much about the infernal machines and their possible long term effect, I've never set off the alarms other than when forgetting to put pocket change, key ring, etc. in my jacket in the tray (and my jackets have Velcro flaps on the inside pockets). A long time bugaboo, the belt buckle, was overcome when I found some web belts with aluminum and plastic buckles. The convenience of cargo pants for passport, wallet(s), currency, documents, etc., simply makes them ny continuing choice.

The old button front model Levis and currently popular Wranglers of the cowboy sort, heavy 11 ounce denim, are subject to uncomfortable crotch creep, but I found some lighter denim cargo pants for "jeans days".

Exactly. Cash, credit cards and passport are always on my person, never in a bag.

It happened to me. I was on a night flight from Santiago (Chile) to Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). It was a half-empty flight. The cabin was darkened and the flight attendants had disappeared.

I went to the bathroom and came back to find a woman going through my handbag. She was brazen enough to suggest (in Spanish, I think) I had returned to the wrong seat and that the bag was hers. After some firm words from me, she returned to her own seat, where she sat, fidgeting and muttering, for the rest of the flight. Not sure if she was a thief or a nutter - forgive the non-PC language!

I had passport, tickets, credit cards and cash in a wallet around my neck, I was wearing my headphones, and nothing of value was in my handbag, so I lost nothing. Given the strategic absence of FAs and the problem of trying to explain in Spanish or Portuguese, I didn't take any further action.

I always padlock my carry-on baggage, board early enough to make sure it is in an overhead I can watch, and I sleep lightly. Anyone opening the overhead containing my bag wakes me up and I stand up to see just what they are accessing.

My husband thinks I'm paranoid about security. I don't.