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.

:eek:

This has definitely given me food for thought. I'm going to rethink how I carry my valuables when I travel on business (on holiday I'm usually with my husband so there's always one of us at the seat).

Likewise. Cargo pants are excellent for travel. When in a foreign country I have my passport on my person at all times. When flying and going through airports I also like shirts with dual chest pockets with flaps fastened with Velcro.

I will then be the bin hog and tie down the bin and use a padlock with alarm to lock it. Then no one can steal my goods.:D

I was waiting to board a LuxAir MAN-DUB which was doing LUX-MAN-DUB. A lady had her bag stolen on board, which was presumably stolen by someone flying LUX-MAN. Flight was delayed while police took details :( Staff were horrified. Wake up call for me.

If I want to sleep, I put my purse and iPad in my lap, and cover up with a shawl. Makes it harder for anyone to steal anything, and I never leave them unattended.

I often have thought about leaving your handbag or other important belongings under a seat when you go to the loo. Why do we consider everyone on board to be honest and not steal your stuff. I am a lot more careful these days.

My friend works for Dept of Defence and when he travels he is not allowed to let things out of his sight. That means when alone, taking his laptop to the toilet. He said to me once..."god I hope they don't think I am looking at porn!"

I just use a cabin bag with a built in lock, useful for being in cities anyway.

I usually stuff everything from my pockets into my carry on before going through security. Makes things simpler and less prone to forgetting them. I made the awful mistake of keeping my wallet in my carry-on when checking it at the gate. Some thug at ORD pulled my money and credit cards out of it. Luckily he just put the wallet back with my ID. I was able to cancel my cards before he had a chance to use them.

I always wear a fanny pack that except on take off and landing remains buckled around my waist. Larger valuable items, however, such as binoculars and laptop, are in my back pack which is either under the seat or overhead and usually unlocked . So far, I have not had a problem. I think someone would have to be pretty brazen and work quickly to unload or walk off with the backpack.

I hope that works for you.

I was in Lisbon, wearing cargo pants, all the pocket flaps were Velcro.
Boarded a tram and was trying to validate my ticket (pressing it against the box which is there for this purpose). A man blocked my way, waving his arms and yelling loudly in Portugese. While I was trying to push him out of the way someone very efficiently lifted my wallet from one of the front pockets (the one right over the knee). Never noticed a thing.
I found the wallet missing when I was trying to put the ticket back into it.

The wallet was later found of the floor of the tram, money missing, but everything else there (somewhat lucky, I guess).

Wow.. Not as worried as some posters!

My credentials sit in my laptop backpack which goes under the set in front when (often) in Y.. For a crook to steal while I sleep he/she would have to some how get it from under the seat.. rifle through to find the passport in an inner (non external accessible) pocket and then replace the bag back..

Now I do not know how many of you are back in Y on United.. but that is a big ask to do without waking some one up!

This is something I've never worried overly about. I figure that few people are likely to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a plane ticket hoping to get the opportunity to steal something. I worry even less when in a premium cabin. But then, I often just leave my laptop open sitting on the desk in my hotel room and my passport in my bag.

Thieves come in all colors and all income ranges.

I'm not terribly worried about this when I fly F (which almost always is the case any time I fly somewhere long enough to sleep). In those cases, I usually put my pocket contents in a seat storage compartment.

In Y, my [rather conspicuous] rollaboard is locked, so while I may not be paying enough attention at all times to notice somebody tampering with my stuff, I would certainly notice them flat out stealing/removing the whole bag.

Same here. I've never actually been overly concerned or given much thought to this, but I rarely travel internationally alone or do red-eyes. This thread is certainly food for thought though.

Usually my wallet is on me.. and I take special precaution to ensure that my carryon is not stored far away from my eyes. I'll store the carryons above where we are seated at all times if possible. I don't understand those who store carryons at the front of the plane and get seated in the back. Sure its convenient to take and carryout when deplaning, but who's going to look after the bags during the flight?

As for checked bags, I ensure that I bring only what I'm willing to lose without a second thought. Stuff has been taken out of checked baggage before.. so we ensure that all new clothing tags are clipped off. Whoever sorts through luggage must love to keep brand new clothes when possible. Reporting the theft through TSA doesn't work.. TSA seems to reject the claim as soon as it comes in.

+1

+1 I sleep with them in my pants, not always comfortable but always secure.

I don't feel too exposed leaving stuff zipped in my bag in the overhead in the international C cabin. I suppose I could put all the electronics (iphone, ipad, kindle) in a Scottvest and wear it or use that as a pillow, but that would not be too comfortable plus the cabin tends to be overheated on night flights. So I think I will take my chances.

The floor level drawers in C are yet another thing to appreciate in the BA cabins. :cool:

I found these comments (my bolding) rather ironic in the light of an incident that took place on an SAA overnight flight some years ago. Not only did it take place in the F cabin, the culprit had not paid a cent for her seat. In fact she was paid to be there - it was a flight attendant!

After pax went to sleep the FA opened an overhead stowage and helped herself to cash and travellers cheques from a passenger's bag. Another passenger happened to see this and reported it to the senior FA on board - who duly arranged for the guilty FA to be met by police on arrival.


As an aside, I doubt this was someone randomly rifling through a bag. Almost certainly the passenger must have had that bag open where the FA could see its contents. So although I am probably not careful enough about securing my belongings I take care not to flash valuables around or do things like transfer currency from/to my wallet in public view.

While theft on airplanes is not a rampant problem it does exist and a growing concern in this article is theft at the airport including security areas as well.

Shak

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/04/travel...eft-from-plane

My carryon has a unique color/design so that the chance of someone mistaking it as theirs in the overhead bins becomes remote, especially if I have no choice but stow my bag far from my seat. All zippers locked and fixed so they can't be punched open and zipped closed again. The most essential items in a small crossbody bag and is always on me.

If I put my bag into to overhead I always use the one on the opposite side, so that I have it always in view.

For my personal things I have a brief case which is always under my knees in eco or between the seats in business and as close as possible to the window side.

Some interesting way to lock your bag during the flight is this:
http://www.abus.com/Sicherheit-Unter...biflex-Pro-202