stealing
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Join Date: Aug 2003
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stealing
Here is a small story. Had to use the lav. (in the back); by the time I was done, service in the cabin already started, all the cabin crew had left the aft galley. Instead of trying to squeeze by, I decide to wait in the back until the service (back to front) reached my assigned seat. Very shortly one of the flight attendants came alarmed because "I could not see you anymore and here [the aft galley] is where we keep our personal belongings". Hmm, did I hear this right?! I probably was sufficiently amazed that the next thing was "Do you understand [this particular foreign language]?". She then went to confirm what her worry was.
So, my question is, are you really generally worried (to this point!!) that some pax could steal something from you?
So, my question is, are you really generally worried (to this point!!) that some pax could steal something from you?
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I work for an airline and yes two of my friends who work for the same airline have had their purses stolen from their handbags which were in the aft galley. So this doesnt really give us any reason to trust our passengers.
Join Date: Nov 2001
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It's a very sad world we live in. Throughout the years I've been flying I've seen so many things and I still get shocked by them.
Here's a list of things that have "walked" off the aircraft and no it wasn't me - crew bags, crew uniform pieces ( jackets etc), money from duty free, food from the galley, alcohol from the bar, life jackets, seatbelts ( don't ask me why ), toiletries from First and Business class toilets, glassware and cutlery from the trays, safety cards, magazines, blankets, pillows and the list just goes on and on. I swear if they could take us too they would.
Only last week I turned away from the cart to answer a pax question and when I turned back a man had his hand inside the wine draw helping himself. The airline I work for the pax have to buy food and drink so no it wasn't complimentary.
The problem is temptation and when opportunity presents itself these people can't resist. I don't think it's any different in other industries, look at hospitality, sales, hotels or hospitals it happens there too.
Here's a list of things that have "walked" off the aircraft and no it wasn't me - crew bags, crew uniform pieces ( jackets etc), money from duty free, food from the galley, alcohol from the bar, life jackets, seatbelts ( don't ask me why ), toiletries from First and Business class toilets, glassware and cutlery from the trays, safety cards, magazines, blankets, pillows and the list just goes on and on. I swear if they could take us too they would.
Only last week I turned away from the cart to answer a pax question and when I turned back a man had his hand inside the wine draw helping himself. The airline I work for the pax have to buy food and drink so no it wasn't complimentary.
The problem is temptation and when opportunity presents itself these people can't resist. I don't think it's any different in other industries, look at hospitality, sales, hotels or hospitals it happens there too.
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who is to say its the pax. could be other crew too. either way its a very low thing to do. i tend to hear more stories about crew having items stolen from their hotel room. cant even trust hotel staff these days.
Join Date: Apr 2003
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seatbelts ( don't ask me why
Raver, you're totally right, it could also be crew as well.... (for proof, go search JetBlast for the 'best thing you've stolen..." thread.... naughty but oh so funny.....!
I once said to CC... "I was so tempted to take a safety card but i didn't..."... the purser then gave one to me and said.... 'Well seeing as you didn't I'll just give you one instead....just between us!' LOL!!!!
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Raver, you're absolutely right, crew can be just as reposnsible for stealing.
However of the list I wrote the following we found with the pax or were in obvious display in their luggage.
Seatbelts - we asked to have them back, they refused, security were called and after being searched they were fined and charged with interfering with safety equipment on board. It is a criminal offence.
Lifejackets - same thing, had them searched after doing a life jacket check and they were found in their hand luggage, again they were fined and charged.
Of the uniform pieces one was a crew cardigan which they tried to wear off the aircraft walking past all of us up the aisle, it was hilarious and no they weren't drunk.
All the other items not being safety just make up part of the airline's loss. I do get upset though when it's personal items or money that has to be accounted for. Mobile phones seem to be the thing at the moment too.
And yes over the years I've seen plenty of crew bags stuffed with goodies from the a/c, as I said if the temptation's there they will do it.
However of the list I wrote the following we found with the pax or were in obvious display in their luggage.
Seatbelts - we asked to have them back, they refused, security were called and after being searched they were fined and charged with interfering with safety equipment on board. It is a criminal offence.
Lifejackets - same thing, had them searched after doing a life jacket check and they were found in their hand luggage, again they were fined and charged.
Of the uniform pieces one was a crew cardigan which they tried to wear off the aircraft walking past all of us up the aisle, it was hilarious and no they weren't drunk.
All the other items not being safety just make up part of the airline's loss. I do get upset though when it's personal items or money that has to be accounted for. Mobile phones seem to be the thing at the moment too.
And yes over the years I've seen plenty of crew bags stuffed with goodies from the a/c, as I said if the temptation's there they will do it.
Lady Lexxington
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I have to admit that I accidentaly walked off with a safety card, I had been revising for a course I was on and had put my books in the pocket when breakfast came round. I must have got it caught in my books as I packed them away.
I ddn't find it until I took my books out at the (airline) training centre.
I ddn't find it until I took my books out at the (airline) training centre.
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Nothing new, unfortunately. I started putting a padlock on my cabin bag a looong time ago. And I keep noting valuable in my handbag (but the new uniform bag has a padlock hook that allows a padlock if one wants it).
Some years ago the handbag of a collegue was "visited", and wallet+cell phone stolen. Since we were in transit, the police of the country we were at the moment decided to screen all the pax back to the aircraft. The phone was found in the pocket of a pax. He had trown the chip away (found later in the restrooms), but the CC identified it from a sticker. The guy was the real average pax, not covered in tattoos or looking scruffy.
The sad thing is that in EU, in a similar occasion, the police answered that they could do nothing (no search, no screening) unless the person saw the thief doing it
Some years ago the handbag of a collegue was "visited", and wallet+cell phone stolen. Since we were in transit, the police of the country we were at the moment decided to screen all the pax back to the aircraft. The phone was found in the pocket of a pax. He had trown the chip away (found later in the restrooms), but the CC identified it from a sticker. The guy was the real average pax, not covered in tattoos or looking scruffy.
The sad thing is that in EU, in a similar occasion, the police answered that they could do nothing (no search, no screening) unless the person saw the thief doing it
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Well in the future if someone is caught I hope they cut his hand off and take all his miles from him. Now seriously, thanks for your replies - it's quite sad and for me one of the worst "return to the reality" in a while (not that it sometimes happens, but the fact that it can be a permanent concern).
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Its true you know, crew belongings go missing all the time. A friend of mine had her handbag swiped once (her work one so it would have been hard to deny it by a pax) and she only noticed as she went to get it as she was disembarking. Lone behold the passenger who swiped it was making a transit stop and didnt realise that to get airside he would need to go through another x-ray machine, they caught him there and she was reunited with her bag!!!
I personally lock my laptop if I take it with me on trips into either the crew rest area or the diplomatic lockers. That way if it does go missing I can narrow it down to the crew or that off duty crew!!! lol
I personally lock my laptop if I take it with me on trips into either the crew rest area or the diplomatic lockers. That way if it does go missing I can narrow it down to the crew or that off duty crew!!! lol
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Walking through Passport control last week one of the crew told me that this was his first time using his new passport, as the last one had been inside his cabin bag which was stolen... from the crew report centre. He lost passport, wallet, photographs, mobile phone, camera and more. Police involved, but no trace.
The real sting in the tail was that just after sorting out a new passport the thief posted the old one back to his home address. No photos, money, phone etc, just the passport. And no return address or contact number funnily enough.
Disgusting.
The real sting in the tail was that just after sorting out a new passport the thief posted the old one back to his home address. No photos, money, phone etc, just the passport. And no return address or contact number funnily enough.
Disgusting.
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Just as bad in LCC's. I've had crew on some of my flights lose purses, ID tags and the odd mobile phone (and that's usually from the forward galley (737) which is unattended during service by default). Lifejackets are always popular and a few times the seat belts have been cut out (makes one wonder what airport security is looking for 
) The problem is the turn arounds are so rushed nobody realises until well after the fact.
) The problem is the turn arounds are so rushed nobody realises until well after the fact.
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Seat belts are a new fashion item worn in place of the usual belt. Even a company in the US marketing same in the color of your choice. For me, I'm still figuring how I can pinch the jet. 
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No matter what route/airline/country you work and fly in its worth the few coins it takes to buy a pad lock for your case if you dont already have one. I have found some really wierd things found in my case, thankfully never the white powder stuff, but still; underwear (and no i did not check to see if they had been worn!), an IPOD, juice, food of sorts, and the odd book have all been some of the items ive found in my case over the years.....
Even a case with a massive CREW tag, i can gaurantee you that at least twice a week pax will stand and argue with you that its their bag! After having one taken off the aicraft before i knew it had gone, i watch my bag, and what the pax take off like a hawk. Also before going home, i open my bag to find if any goodies have been left before i get of the a/c.
One of our standard service requirements is that we hide the money pouches somewhere in the galley, as the cupboards are raked though all too often
<--GB-->
Even a case with a massive CREW tag, i can gaurantee you that at least twice a week pax will stand and argue with you that its their bag! After having one taken off the aicraft before i knew it had gone, i watch my bag, and what the pax take off like a hawk. Also before going home, i open my bag to find if any goodies have been left before i get of the a/c.
One of our standard service requirements is that we hide the money pouches somewhere in the galley, as the cupboards are raked though all too often
<--GB-->
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Absolutely we are concerned. I think the Flight Attendant in question didn't handle the situation correctly and should not have said what she did in such an accusatory fashion ... but that's another matter altogether.
Items get stolen all the time! Either by pax, colleagues or other ... The MOST trustworthy people I've found in the industry are the cleaners! My wallet had slipped out of my bag on a turnaround and I was frantically looking for it everywhere in the terminal, when I came back on board it was on the galley counter with a note from a cleaner saying he'd found it. Very sweet and honest!
Another time, I left my cellphone on the crew-room table to answer the crew-room phone and turned around and it was gone. In those few minutes I was on the phone we had two or three crews walk through the room finishing up for the day or starting their first sector. I reported it to security ... but there was nothing that they could do about it. I was livid, but it's not right to accuse your own colleagues, so now I have my personal belongings by my side at ALL times.
Another time I was working J Class on an International Flight and walked in to the Galley to find a Y class pax in the drinks trolly helping himself to a bottle of champange. I questioned him nicely and he said; "I'm on my honeymoon and the blonde Stewardess said we could have some champange". Upon questioning her (in private) she said yes she had, but not J Class champers and not to help himself - that SHE would bring it to him. So I still do not know exactly how he knew where we kept it and how he snuck into J class in the first place.
Ever since my airline went in to the new uniform, jackets have been going missing left right and centre. I even had a woman ask if we had spare jackets on board that she could "have" as she collected airline memorabilia ... what a cheek! We have had a PIC's laptop go missing, F/A's wallets and handbags. Seatbelts, extension belts, life-jackets, safety on board cards, entire bottles of wine and champers, video tapes, etc etc.
So yes ... in answer to your question ... we do tend to be a little weary ...
Items get stolen all the time! Either by pax, colleagues or other ... The MOST trustworthy people I've found in the industry are the cleaners! My wallet had slipped out of my bag on a turnaround and I was frantically looking for it everywhere in the terminal, when I came back on board it was on the galley counter with a note from a cleaner saying he'd found it. Very sweet and honest!
Another time, I left my cellphone on the crew-room table to answer the crew-room phone and turned around and it was gone. In those few minutes I was on the phone we had two or three crews walk through the room finishing up for the day or starting their first sector. I reported it to security ... but there was nothing that they could do about it. I was livid, but it's not right to accuse your own colleagues, so now I have my personal belongings by my side at ALL times.
Another time I was working J Class on an International Flight and walked in to the Galley to find a Y class pax in the drinks trolly helping himself to a bottle of champange. I questioned him nicely and he said; "I'm on my honeymoon and the blonde Stewardess said we could have some champange". Upon questioning her (in private) she said yes she had, but not J Class champers and not to help himself - that SHE would bring it to him. So I still do not know exactly how he knew where we kept it and how he snuck into J class in the first place.
Ever since my airline went in to the new uniform, jackets have been going missing left right and centre. I even had a woman ask if we had spare jackets on board that she could "have" as she collected airline memorabilia ... what a cheek! We have had a PIC's laptop go missing, F/A's wallets and handbags. Seatbelts, extension belts, life-jackets, safety on board cards, entire bottles of wine and champers, video tapes, etc etc.
So yes ... in answer to your question ... we do tend to be a little weary ...
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Yes guys i totally agree. i once had an exprience with a pax who took a collegue's bag confindently.and when my collegue told the pax that that was not her bag she apologised and dropped the bag and left without any bag.
it got me wondering didnt the pax remember dat she didnt come onboard with any bag
.well.....,we just have to be careful
it got me wondering didnt the pax remember dat she didnt come onboard with any bag
.well.....,we just have to be careful
Lady Lexxington
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I totally agree with you GKG, the airport cleaners at EGCC are fantastic. I am forever leaving stuff at gates (fast turnaround, it's easy to forget your handbag) and it always makes its way back to me, intact, via the cleaners
I have been very lucky that I've never had anything stolen, but if I did it would probably be my own fault
I have been very lucky that I've never had anything stolen, but if I did it would probably be my own fault