Home

Shopping
Community
Travel Info


Join Our Crew

What's New About Us Packing List

Tips for Avoiding Luggage Theft  What You Can Do to Avoid Being
a Victim of Luggage Theft


By Christine Columbus, Inc. Co-founder, Robert G. Brost

As a part of our depressed economy and high unemployment, theft of checked baggage on airlines is on the rise. TSA and airport officials report that luggage pilfering is increasing all across the country. This year Delta Airlines in Hartford discovered baggage handlers rifling through baggage in the belly of jets, taking computers, jewelry, cameras, and other valuables. The same has been reported in Portland, OR, St. Louis, New York, and Newark among others. In some cases, the perps are large organized gangs comprised of airline employees. In Phoenix, a couple was found with over 1000 pieces of stolen luggage stacked floor to ceiling in their home. They had been lifting baggage off the carousels at Phoenix's Sky Harbor airport. In Portland, thru October this year, Northwest Airlines has received 192 reports of stolen luggage versus 132 claims in all of 2008. The thieves were stealing items and posting them for sale on eBay from the airline's computer.

In New York, police caught baggage handlers stealing items from bags and then retagging the bags to other destinations so tracing suspects who handled the bags would be more complicated. Although baggage theft is still relatively rare as a percentage of the bags handled, police claim that incidents have increased this year significantly. Officials blame the sour economy, cost cutting by airlines, and redirected security from baggage to cargo, which has been the traditional target of thieves. Passenger bags have become easy pickings.

Further frustrating stricken travelers is the slow response of TSA and airline officials who ultimately deny any responsibility. Airline ticket rules - the "contract of carriage" - exclude liability for any valuables in luggage, particularly since the thieves are rarely caught.

TSA has reduced theft as it has moved from opening bags and searching by hand to running them through scanning machines on conveyer belts, limiting the number of bags handled by screeners. They have also added more surveillance cameras to monitor the screening operation. 330 TSA employees have been fired for theft since the agency's beginning in 2003.

So how can travelers avoid baggage theft?

Here's some pointers to protect yourself:

  • Keep things of value
      out of
    checked baggage. Airlines won't cover it. Small easily pocketed items are most at risk, from jewelry and electronics, to battery chargers and golf balls.
  • If you can't carry valuables onboard, ship them separately. With shipping companies you can insure your valuables and track the shipment.
  • Don't rely on luggage locks. They are easily broken or bypassed.
  • Mark your bag with colorful locks, straps, and tags so it will be spotted easily on a crowded carousel. That lessens the chances that someone else will walk off with it, intentionally or by accident.
  • Get to the baggage claim area quickly after disembarking from the flight to get your bags as they are released onto the carousel to minimize the time they are unattended. Don't dawdle to give potential thieves a chance at your baggage. Baggage claim used to have security officers checking luggage claim tags but few do now.
  • Report stolen items immediately to TSA and airport police.

Like so many other aspects of travel, protection from being victimized starts with you. Vigilance is the key since, unfortunately, there are many predators out there looking for a chance.

Sign up on our E-mail list list to be notified of other new travel tips. Meanwhile, I hope you'll share your travel tales, experiences, likes and dislikes with us at: travel stories and travel tips.

Please let me know how I can assist you with your travel needs.

Cheers,

Annette
President & Co-founder



Copyright © 1997-2010 Christine Columbus, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
Contact Us! | Site Map