Dissecting airline baggage pilferage

November 26 2007 at 11:32AM

I receive a steady stream of complaints from people who have entrusted their luggage to the various airlines and got to the other side to find certain items missing from the suitcases they had checked in in good faith.

If the items happen to be classed as "valuables" jewellery, cash and electronic equipment such as laptops, cameras and cellphones the airlines will not entertain a claim as they argue that they issue warnings that these items ought not to be packed into check-in luggage.

But what if someone packs those valuables into their carry-on or "hand" luggage and then gets asked to leave that small "cabin regulation" suitcase on the tarmac as they prepare to board the plane, so that it can be stowed in the hold who is responsible if that suitcase gets pilfered?

Well, Veven Bisetty of California found out recently.

The former South African flew back home in September for his father's funeral. On boarding a Durban-bound Mango SAA's budget airline flight in Jo'burg, a flight attendant told him his small, 5kg carry-on suitcase should rather be stowed in the hold.

When he protested that he'd packed valuables in the case, he was assured everything would be safe.

It wasn't. When he was reunited with the suitcase in Durban, his cellphone and a belt were missing.

But no one would take any responsibility for the loss.

"A Durban loss-control representative told me: 'It's not our fault, someone in Gauteng was responsible for the theft. In any event, we don't have cameras to monitor the runway'," Bisetty said.

"A call to the Gauteng loss-control representative resulted in: 'You need to contact our Durban office. The theft occurred there.'

"Calls to Mango on my return to the US proved futile; so, too, was the subsequent e-mail route. Three months later, we are still awaiting a response."

If the suitcases are too big or heavy for the overhead lockers, airline crew should ascertain this at the check-in counters and give the passenger an opportunity to remove their valuables before checking them in.

But to later separate the passenger from their valuables and then refuse to take responsibility for the theft of those valuables would offend anyone with even the most challenged sense of fair play, surely?

I expressed these sentiments to Mango spokesperson Hein Kaizer, and received the following response: "Mango recognises the fact that it is an unpleasant experience when one's personal belongings are tampered with.

However, this is certainly not unique to Mango and pilferage unfortunately occurs at most airports, both at home and abroad.

"Mango cabin crew has a responsibility to ensure that, among other things, hand luggage brought inside the cabin is securely stowed during take-off and landing for the comfort of all guests on board."

Crew only took hand luggage for stowage in the hold at the bottom of the steps if it could not be stowed securely, Kaizer said.

"Again, while theft is unfortunate, no airline has control over the contents of any luggage and cannot, as such, insure against the abstract.

However, we will continue to investigate the matter further and report back to Mr Bisetty as soon as possible."

All of which, with respect, dodges the central question.

"I think passengers should insist on taking their hand luggage on board if they weren't told to check it in inside the terminal," said joint MD of Comair and Kulula.com, Gidon Novick.

"And if it's too big for the overhead lockers, they should remove their valuables first."

Of course, given the cost of clothing and shoes, it could be argued that everything is valuable these days.

And the airlines work on a compensation formula that doesn't come close to allowing the theft victim to replace the stolen goods.

Most of the luggage pilfering takes place at Jo'burg's OR Tambo International airport, and given that it's the largest and busiest in Africa, that's no surprise.

The situation is so critical that the Airports Company of South Africa (Acsa) has formed a baggage-pilfering committee with the SA Police Service, the airlines and their ground hand-lers, such as Equity Aviation.

But all the players are extremely tight-lipped about statistics.

Presumably they fear the impact such a figure would have should it be publicised here and abroad.

Unluckily for SAA, it was revealed recently in Parliament that 7 084 pieces of luggage were pilfered on SAA flights during 2006/07.

But while pilfering on the airline has increased a staggering 67,9 percent since 2002/03, the money the airline has paid out in claims has remained pretty much the same in the past five years.

Clearly the rampant theft of its passengers' belongings is not impacting the airline's bottom line, so there's little motivation to invest time and money in dealing with the crime situation.

I challenge the other airlines to reveal their pilferage figures over the same periods.

I'm reliably informed that some airlines using OR Tambo experience very little baggage pilferage because they go to extraordinary lengths to monitor their passengers' luggage from the time it leaves the check-in counter until it lands up inside the plane.

Clearly, if some airlines can get it right, it follows that all the other airlines should be able to do so as well.

My baggage was dissected (zip with a padlock) in San Paulo or Ezeiza Airport when I comes from my last trip in Namibia, and the toys for my kids and others souvenirs desappears ???, they used a pencil point to open the zip on the opposite side of the padlock . To fortune my Canon A640, Garmin GPS, and Steiner bino was on my hand baggage, safe with me . The autorities answered with a big laugh !!!Next I will put a lot mouse traps inside it and a week used socks !!!
Thanks for sharing.

Would it be illegal to place a live rattlesnake inside your checked bag? Ay least you will know where your bag was tampered with...and by whom! Then maybe the airlines will start to do something about hiring thieves.

I haven't encountered any TSA type requirement in any of the African countries I travel to on a constant basis. Other than the first departing flight from the US, put all the locks you want on your luggage. Each time I see posts about people fretting about TSA locks on their luggage I have wonder if they are conscious of the fact that whatever the little key TSA uses to open those locks is probably also available, whether legally or not, to foreign authorities and when a corrupt official or baggage handler in another country can open your bags at will you are not in the best of situations.

I'm still waiting on a definitive answer from TSA and United Airlines on what exactly constitutes a "gun part" as I'd like to carry my extra Zeiss scope in my carryon. But would they consider this a "gun part"? It isn't integral to the operation of the firearm. And it COULD be used as a spotting scope.

The whole issue of baggage pilferage points to a huge breach of security that make the whole passenger search -- x-ray -- pat down process a fiasco.

If a video camera can be taken from your luggage (as was from mine), then an object of similar size can be PLACED in your luggage. In other words, it's no problem for baggage handling personnel to place a bomb of sufficient power to bring down an airliner inside ordinary passenger luggage.

I wouldn't be incensed at the extra half-hour that the security process adds to an air trip, or at the personal indignities of removing my shoes, or having my body cavities x-rayed, if it resulted in some significant contribution to air safety. As it is, the whole thing is "for show" while the real hazard to your safety goes on in the depths of the airport baggage and maintenance areas.

If your baggage is not secure, then YOU are not secure.

You're absolutely correct. This entire TSA conglomeration is nothing but a bad joke on Americans. If you are under the impression that you are any safer because of these clowns, I'd like to know why.

It just makes flying anywhere an increasingly uncomfortable, irritating experience that I avoid at every opportunity.

just typical airlines BS. they are so used to abusing people that it has become a habit with them

quote:

Originally posted by Woodrow S:
Would it be illegal to place a live rattlesnake inside your checked bag? Ay least you will know where your bag was tampered with...and by whom! Then maybe the airlines will start to do something about hiring thieves.

Green mambas work better!

When TSA was comming onto existance I said if you like the US Postal system you will love TSA. The TSA is staffed by the worlds most incompentent personel and the supervisors are those that show the most incompentency! I am flying down to Dallas next week and am wondering what they will F*ck up on this trip.

Die Ou Jagter:
Anything they touch. That's why I ship everything UPS to any shoot around the lower 48 including loaded rounds. The gate agents at SouthWest use to have me open the gun case just to admire the firearms. That always caught me off-guard. The TSA idiots could never put the guncase steel locking rod through the right holes so I always stay close to advise. Hasn't been a problem yet.


Dutch

quote:

Originally posted by jetdrvr:

quote:

Originally posted by Woodrow S:
Would it be illegal to place a live rattlesnake inside your checked bag? Ay least you will know where your bag was tampered with...and by whom! Then maybe the airlines will start to do something about hiring thieves.

Green mambas work better!

I was going to suggest a couple of those disposable thermal handwarmers and a some baby copperheads.

AD

TSA= Thousands Standing Around

Perhaps if the TSA person opening a particular bit of luggage was required to sign (Name and ID number both legible) the tag they leave inside it would encourage a bit more responsibility or at least a greater concern with getting caught. Or possibly give an insurance company that insures my personal belongings recourse against the offending airline if I am able to convince the insurance company that my possesions went missing while in the custody of said airline.