Who Cares About Travellers’ Property?

The number of persons complaining about loss of baggage, stolen from bags, while returning from USA has gone up very substantially. I met one traveller of Emirates and the other of Lufthansa in a matter of one week who had this bitter experience.

If your baggage arrives late [or last] on the conveyor then it is better to check whether you are a victim! Chances are that you will discover you are the unfortunate one.

Apparently, USA rules require that no locks be put on bags, which are then opened by people at airport [no one knows which one, but people suspect it happens at USA airports] and good clothes and valuables are taken out. If you have kept jewellery [the airlines advise you against it strongly] then you are sure to lose it.

Very often travellers notice the theft when they leave airport and then find it very painful exercise to lodge a complaint.

When travellers are checked so thoroughly by Security personnel, why can’t they trace where the theft of travellers’ belongings is happening? The only reason why such scant attention is paid to what can be easily investigated and controlled is perhaps collusion. At least that is the conclusion travellers draw. Why don’t airlines put pressure on airport authorities to introduce greater vigilance on their staff? Airlines and Airport authorities care so much about safety and security of their property [planes] why not about travellers’ property?

Vivek