7 tips to keep belongings safe on a flight
It’s hard to believe, but in-flight theft is actually quite common. Be smart and keep your belongings safe while you’re in the air.
1. Do your best to put your carry on bags in an overhead bin that’s right above your seat. That way, you will (hopefully) notice if someone goes into the bin holding your bag. If that bin is full, look for one that’s in front of your seat rather than behind it. That way you will have it in your line of sight during the flight.
2. Keep anything really valuable – like cash, your phone, passport or credit cards – with you in your seat. That can mean in your pockets, in the seat pocket in front of you or in a smaller bag at your feet. Most thieves in this situation are looking for an easy score so aren’t looking for anything beyond these kinds of items that are quick to grab and simple to sell.
3. Don’t leave your valuables sitting neatly at the top of your carry on bag. If someone is going through the overhead bins looking to steal, they will want to be quick. Burying these items at the bottom of the bag or wrapping a jumper or blanket around everything inside means they will have to take the whole bag out to reach them. That increases their risk of getting caught, so they’ll probably just move on.
4. Get a lock. Sure, it can be annoying to have to unlock your bag every time you want something, but it will act as a very strong deterrent. You should be able to leave the bag unlocked while you’re awake and paying attention, and can lock it when you want to sleep.
5. Choose a unique bag that stands out. Some canny thieves will take a bag from the overhead bin and take it back to their seat or into the bathroom to go through it. They can then return it to the bin and the owner is none the wiser. This is made easier by the fact that many bags look the same – plain, black, non-descript. A brightly coloured or patterned bag is more obvious and harder to take without attracting attention.
6. Don’t forget your pockets. Many travellers will hang a coat or jacket up in the communal closet. Remember that both crew and passengers can access that closet easily, so don’t leave any cash or valuables in your pockets.
7. Speak up! If you see something that looks suspicious, say something straight away. It could be someone spending a lot of time reaching into the bin with your bag in it, going into multiple overhead bins one after the other, or any other behaviour that makes you uncomfortable. Alert the flight attendant rather than confronting the person directly. It could all be an innocent mistake, but it’s better safe than sorry.
Have you ever had your possessions stolen on a flight, or on holidays?
Let us know in the comments.
Related links:
6 important safety tips every senior traveller should know
Why you must never throw out your boarding pass
16 tips to help you survive a long-haul flight