The theft of personal belongings on board planes is a growing problem in some parts of the world, and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), plans to hold discussions on how to deal with this in the coming weeks.
Mr Nick Careen, senior vice-president for operations, safety and security at IATA, said feedback from its members indicate that in-flight theft has become more of an issue on certain routes in the past 12 to 18 months. This is in line with the recovery in international air travel post-pandemic.
“Our security advisory group is planning to meet in the next week or two to discuss what we could potentially do to better manage this – out of China mostly, where it seems to be very organised,” he said.
On in-flight theft, Mr Careen said he did not want to point fingers, but the concern is the degree of organisation in recent cases.
“How we deal with that, whether it’s security on board or cooperation from local governments in terms of the appropriate penalties… those are the types of things that we will see come out of this,” he added.
Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines
The Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines (AAPA) has also said in November last year that the increase in the number of in-flight thefts has fuelled “growing concern” among airlines based in the Asia-Pacific region and become the subject of industry discussion, adding that aircrew are now more watchful for any suspicious behaviour.
AAPA also said its carriers were on guard against criminal syndicates working together to target passengers’ property. There is a rising trend of in-flight thefts. Based on information, they are all global syndicates working with each other and targeting certain routes for wealthy customers.
Shocking Increase in Number of Thefts on Board Flights in Asia
Some of the countries concerned are taking serious action by imposing jail sentences on air thieves.
But a lot still needs to be done to curb the illicit actions of these organised syndicates who recruit people to undertake thefts onboard. Specialised and ongoing training of air crew and educating of passengers on how to take safety measures to prevent theft, need to be stepped up.
Airlines also need to work with local governments, airport police/local police, airport authorities and other parties to not only nab these criminals and impose heavy penalties on them but to also curb such illegal activities which disrupt the safe travels for passengers.
Vietnam
VN Express has reported that Vietnam has seen a disturbing uptick in thefts committed by foreign passengers aboard flights, with 33 thefts reported in the first 10 months of 2024.
These crimes often involve well-organised groups operating under pre-arranged plans. The perpetrators were typically foreign nationals who frequently travel in and out of Vietnam, sometimes switching between domestic and international flights, as well as different carriers.
The criminals tend to purchase last-minute tickets, avoid checked baggage, and select seats that facilitate their illicit activities. In some cases, thieves even targeted business class passengers in order to steal high-value items.
On 3 June this year, a court in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, sentenced a Chinese man to one year in prison for stealing US$1,700 in cash from a fellow passenger’s carry-on luggage during a flight from the city to Da Nang on Christmas Eve last year.
Singapore
In Singapore, several foreigners mostly from mainland China, have been jailed for committing theft whilst onboard flights flying into Singapore in the past one year.
Japan
Tokyo’s Narita International Airport also reported a recent spike in in-flight thefts. Narita Airport had received 19 such reports as of the end of October 2024, far more than the seven during the same period in 2023.
In each case, cash was taken from victims’ wallets placed in the closed overhead compartments. The thefts are thought to have taken place as the victims slept. In one case, around $14,300 was stolen from one passenger.
Malaysia
In 2022, 33 cases of onboard thefts were reported. This jumped to 88 in 2023, and for the first 10 months of 2024, 146 cases were reported.
The police said those behind the thefts usually operate alone or in small groups of up to four people aboard flights within Malaysia and the region. They steal the valuables of passengers from their carry-on luggage, including credit cards, jewellery, cash and wallets.
India
A Chinese national was arrested at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport in May this year for allegedly stealing debit and credit cards from passengers on an international flight. During interrogation, the main accused confessed that he and his accomplices were part of a coordinated syndicate operating on international transit flights.
The police said that their tactics included booking transit flights with longer durations to maximise access to unsupervised cabin luggage. They would spread group members across different seats to avoid detection as a coordinated unit, and target sleeping passengers. The group deliberately used flights between high-traffic international routes, exploiting long-duration flights and cabin fatigue.
Hong Kong
In December last year, the Hong Kong security chief revealed that thefts onboard aircraft bound for Hong Kong almost doubled in 2024. According to government data, a total of 169 reports were lodged in the first 10 months of 2024 against 92 recorded in the whole of 2023.
This involved US$555,050 worth of valuables in the first 10 months of 2024. This figure has already surpassed the annual total reported during the peak tourism years of 2018 and 2019.
In December last year, Hong Kong police have arrested a Chinese man for allegedly stealing cash worth around US$1,400 and a bank card from a fellow passenger on a flight from Hanoi.
