There’s Been A Spate Of Mid-Air Theft On Planes — That’s Why I’ve Been Taking These Precautions On Flights

How many times have you left your valuables at your seat during a flight each time you went to the loo, or left valuables like your passport in your bag in the overheard cabin compartment? I’d be the first to admit that I used to be so complacent that I did this all the time in the past, thinking nobody would steal my passport, money or phone each time I left my seat — yes, even if I was travelling alone. 

But one day, something just clicked (let’s just call it age) and it dawned on me that anyone could easily steal these valuables while I’m away or sleeping, whether they were stowed under the seat in a bag, or worse, in an overhead cabin compartment.

And this was even before I came across reports and videos about the recent spate of plane theft incidents, a couple of which have gone viral. 

Last month, a man on a was caught for stealing from bags in the overhead compartments on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore on Ethiopian Airlines. A passenger on the flight @keigenstar caught the culprit red-handed and posted the video on TikTok, which has garnered 1.1mil views so far. A similar incident happened on an AirAsia flight from KL to Vietnam in July, and it was caught on camera by travel company LFG, whose video of the incident has 4mil views so far.

There were also two reported incidents of mid-air thefts — on the same day — on flights from Da Nang to Hong Kong in August. In one case, a traveller’s credit card was stolen from a backpack on a VietJet Air flight and was used to make HK$36,000 (S$6,000) in purchases. In the other, a passenger on a HK Express flight from Da Nang to HK lost a Rolex watch, a bank card, and cash totalling about US$900 (S$1,169). 

What should you do to prevent your valuables from getting stolen on a flight?

The answer is pretty obvious, yet not many of us do this. Yes, just keep your valuables on you; and no, not in your pockets as they could easily fall out during the flight.

Whether you're travelling solo or in a group, have your bag in the overhead compartment or under the seat in front of you, you could fall victim to mid-air thieves. Whatever it is, it pays to be cautious. 

Which is why I always have with me a small sling bag that I'd take even to the washroom, even if I'm not travelling solo. The bag should preferably be one that can keep my essential valuables, but still be small enough so it doesn't get in the way throughout the flight. One thing to note: there’s usually nowhere to hang a bag in the plane lavatory so you want to keep the bag on you, but not in the way of, er, your business. 

My personal favourite that I’ve been using for a few years is the Lululemon Everyday Belt Bag or a waist pack like these (scroll on for our best picks).