Luggage theft is rising at some of the world’s busiest airports, with travellers increasingly discovering that valuables such as jewellery, laptops and luxury watches have vanished from checked bags during transit.
Recent incidents at Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen International Airport have brought renewed attention to organised baggage theft, while passenger complaints continue to mount at major hubs, including New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Journalist and aviation commentator Uğur Cebeci urges passengers not to place valuables in checked luggage, warning that thieves working inside airports have become highly skilled at identifying bags likely to contain high-value items. He argues that even when suspects are caught, travellers often face limited or slow compensation for what has been lost.
The growing problem of baggage theft at busy travel hubs
Cebeci says airport thieves have effectively specialised, learning what different suitcase brands may signal about a traveller’s spending habits. “Where did you get the idea to pack valuables like watches or bracelets in your suitcase? he writes, questioning why anyone would assume a checked bag will never be opened or mishandled.
He points to a stream of social media posts claiming to show passengers’ suitcases being opened and stripped of valuables, with some reports backed by verified footage. According to Cebeci, Istanbul Airport’s layered security and multiple-camera systems reduce opportunities for theft, but he says incidents linked to Sabiha Gökçen International Airport have become particularly troubling, including cases allegedly recorded on video.
Several reported thefts involve electronics and jewellery that were packed in checked bags, including laptops, luxury watches, diamond necklaces and gold bracelets. In one case, a passenger arriving on 3 January from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) to Sabiha Gökçen complained that a luxury-brand watch and a computer were missing from his suitcase. In another case on 8 January, a traveller flying from Sabiha Gökçen to Amsterdam noticed a computer was missing on arrival and filed a complaint through the Amsterdam Consulate.
Authorities traced device signals to Istanbul’s Asian side, including Pendik and Maltepe, and investigations led to two baggage-handling staff members. The workers told investigators they were responsible for loading and unloading luggage and had been opening suitcases at random over the past 1–2 months. “We took and sell together, then split the money. We’d keep some for ourselves. We’d also hide the stolen items in our belts.” they said, according to the report. They are now being prosecuted with a possible 14-year prison sentence.
Cebeci notes that the problem is not confined to Turkey. He notes that airports such as New York JFK have long been associated with baggage theft complaints and argues that high passenger volume can overwhelm even upgraded security systems. He also warns that theft can be difficult to prove without video coverage at key loading or sorting points.
Why travellers are left with little protection
A key reason the issue matters to travellers is that compensation for valuables is often limited, even when a theft is clear. Cebeci argues that passenger rights regarding valuables in checked baggage are restricted and that legal routes can be lengthy. If the stolen items are not recovered, he says the traveller may be left with either no payment or a settlement that does not reflect the loss.
He links this to long-standing international liability rules, describing what he calls the “Warsaw Pact” framework, under which lost baggage compensation is calculated by weight rather than the value of what was inside. In practical terms, he says, lost-bag payments can be around $20 per kilogram, which is unlikely to cover high-value jewellery or electronics. He also explains that such limits were introduced after airlines faced a wave of claims, including some difficult to verify, and that the industry sought a standardised approach.
Security procedures can also involve authorised openings. Cebeci describes how, in the US, if screening reveals a potentially dangerous item — for example, a lighter — officers may open a bag using approved locks, remove the item, and place documentation inside the suitcase stating what was taken and that legal routes remain available. For travellers, he recommends choosing luggage with security-approved locks designed for inspections rather than forcing zips or damaging cases.
His practical advice is blunt: keep valuables out of checked luggage. That includes jewellery, watches, and electronics—especially laptops—and he questions why travellers would place them in a suitcase in the first place. He also notes that some insurers may refuse to pay for baggage or item insurance if valuables are placed in checked bags against guidance.
For peace of mind, he suggests using small tracking devices linked to a phone, such as AirTag, to help locate missing luggage. While tracking will not prevent theft, it can help confirm a bag’s location if it is delayed or lost, and may support a complaint if the suitcase disappears during transit.
