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BA, Thieving B@st&rds

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Old 15th Aug 2006, 20:04
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Originally Posted by Railgun
On a UK domestic flight the baggage allowence at the moment is 1 piece up to 32kg. Not 2 pieces weighing under a 23kg limit.
Curiosity: what about people combining nat.l and int.l travel in the same ticket. Given that the concept of single piece weighting like a locomotive is unknown to the rest of the world.
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 20:24
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Before making accusations of baggage handling theft along the lines of "I know a man who ......." or "I met a man down the pub who told me.......", can you please supply some evidence!

British Airways has provided CCTV's at ALL areas at LHR and LGW where baggage is handled and on many of our aircraft CCTV's are installed in the holds themselves. I suggest anyone who accuses BA's men of theft is either lying to make a fraudulent insurance claim (whoever would do such a thing!), the bags have gone astray or labels gone missing.
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 20:45
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I do well over 100 sectors per year and have been doing so for a number of years and I have never, ever had an item stolen from my luggage while in the care of an airline. I have had bags lost completely on occasion though. Also, I often stow my laptop in my hold baggage if I don't need it or don't want to carry hand luggage.

In my experience it's the thieving b*astards who work in hotels you need to worry about, I've had all sorts of things stolen from hotel rooms, even my wedding ring on one occasion, try explaining that to the wife, though she knows I never wear it when sleeping so she accepted my explanation of forgetting to put it on the following morning and it not being there at the end of the day. I've also had things stolen from those in-room safes.
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 20:55
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SXB, just a different kind of luck and misfortune. I had stuff stolen from hold baggage (boy I'm begging to talk like you Brits, that is checked-in baggage) but never anything taken in the hotels. In fact I had forgot stuff in hotels and they kept it safe waiting for me to come back.
It happens a lot, see everyone across the board is complaining.
So the terrorist Big Scare had made the Smart Fat August for someone.
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 20:55
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Well of course puff m’call is talking about being robbed by BA with their baggage charge. A bit like my thread here, a Ł40 charge by Continental for bags shipped without the passenger, with the charge being for not collecting them off the carousel!

I really sympathise with people in those victimised jobs like the Post Office and Baggage Handling. Almost without exception, here on pprune, the baggage handlers are slagged off as ALL being thieves. How would you like it if instead it was “all pilots are philanderers” or “all CC are lazy”? A gross insult to hard working people, that really has to stop.
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 21:03
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Originally Posted by bealine
Before making accusations of baggage handling theft along the lines of "I know a man who ......." or "I met a man down the pub who told me.......", can you please supply some evidence!
British Airways has provided CCTV's at ALL areas at LHR and LGW where baggage is handled and on many of our aircraft CCTV's are installed in the holds themselves. I suggest anyone who accuses BA's men of theft is either lying to make a fraudulent insurance claim (whoever would do such a thing!), the bags have gone astray or labels gone missing.
Your post is an insult to everyone that has suffered an airport theft now or in the past. You should post your postal address so citizens of integrity could fill your mailbox with copies of the reports filed. Then refund all of them for the postage. And your postman to curse you for the extra load.
Not to mention that illuminated forumite, former airport police that kept telling us just yesterday how the poor police could not do anything becase they are not allowed to place cameras in private property and how the airlines are not collaborating.
Another example of typical Aviation Business Fingerpointing.
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 21:08
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Cool It!

Please keep this thread off the personal, and on the facts!
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 21:14
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Originally Posted by spork
Well of course puff m’call is talking about being robbed by BA with their baggage charge. A bit like my thread here, a Ł40 charge by Continental for bags shipped without the passenger, with the charge being for not collecting them off the carousel!
I really sympathise with people in those victimised jobs like the Post Office and Baggage Handling. Almost without exception, here on pprune, the baggage handlers are slagged off as ALL being thieves. How would you like it if instead it was “all pilots are philanderers” or “all CC are lazy”? A gross insult to hard working people, that really has to stop.
Who is generalizing exactly and why this noble defense of the working class should make me feeling guilty of simpathizing with crime victimes ?

Fact: some employees were stealing before and they are now. Condemnation of crime does not imply prejudice toward the category.

I got an €200 cellphone stolen in the mail (not in the UK) and almost one year later, a €30 refund check. No more post shipping for me thanks.
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 21:14
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el!

I also work with other people who travel as much as I do and I don't ever remember any of them mentioning theft from baggage, we all carry high value IT and other equipment as well.

I think the incidences of theft from baggage is one of those things which is assumed by the public to happen trčs souvent but in actual fact is extremely rare, or is in my experience.

The airlines and airport operators are aware of the perception of the public and do everything possible to prevent theft from bags.
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 21:44
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Fact: some employees were stealing before and they are now. Condemnation of crime does not imply prejudice toward the category
You're generalising and you shouldn't. Stick to the facts.
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 21:46
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This has gone way off thread.
There is another thread (which I am unable to find) referring to the new hold and cabin baggage policy which restricts the amount/weight of hold baggage but gives a generous cabin allowance (if it fits in the guage, you can carry it on regadless of weight). Certain outside influences have changed all that for the moment, with until today, NO carry on allowed. The guages were reintroduced today with inserts to reduce the size allowable. Guess who set the new limit? Not BA, not BAA, but the DoT.
In my first post, I stated that leniency was the rule at LGW today for bags not fitting in the guage having to be put in the hold ie no charge. I know that for a fact as I was one of those making that decision.
I have also mentioned in a previous post that I spent some years as a baggage handler at LGW. I resent comments about theft from baggage. Even 20 years ago, the one person I know who attempted theiving from a bag was dismissed instantly having been caught on CCTV - he never even knew where the camera was and his fate was applauded by those that he worked with and tarnished the reputation of.
I know that theft was rife at one time, but at Gatwick at least, I believe it to be non existent. You would be amazed at what falls unaided from bags which the public believed to be secure at the time of check-in... shoes, money, dildos to name a few. It is usually impossible to identify which bag the items come from, and rest assured the last items were never claimed for. There are also people who claim for things that were never in their bags in the first place I know you will find that difficult to believe.
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 21:59
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Originally Posted by bealine
Before making accusations of baggage handling theft along the lines of "I know a man who ......." or "I met a man down the pub who told me.......", can you please supply some evidence!

British Airways has provided CCTV's at ALL areas at LHR and LGW where baggage is handled and on many of our aircraft CCTV's are installed in the holds themselves.

I suggest anyone who accuses BA's men of theft is either lying to make a fraudulent insurance claim (whoever would do such a thing!), the bags have gone astray or labels gone missing.
Here you go! One of my FA was deadheading home from London and her $5000 watch was lifted from the bags. Was with her the entire time and she does not play games like saying it happened when it did not. Evidence? Well she filed a police report the next time she was in London but I do not have a copy of it. Been three years now and not a peep from anyone about the watch.

There you go! When is the apology coming for calling people liars?
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 22:24
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No apology will be coming c.d.

SLF is a rigidly moderated forum, this is pprune, and as soon certain arguments or categories are touched, one is immediately accused of generalizing, insulting or lying.

I was searching for your original post about the watch theft because I wanted to reference it here, but can you still find it? I can´t. Watch out, because direct language is not tolerated as well.

Speedpig,
can you accept that denouncing a crime DOES NOT criminalize the category or line of work in which it happened? Some pilots have been caught drinking, counterfeiting documents, smuggling substances. There are hundreds of thousand of pilots in the word, so when news like that is reported, nobody feels an obligation to be solidal. They are called criminals by their very same colleagues, in this very pprune, without a problem.

But strangely, lamenting airport theft raises the ire of even who is not working there, in name of what ?

It exist, it is a fact, now what about fighting it instead of fingerpointing again, again and again ?
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 22:42
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Originally Posted by chandlers dad
Here you go! One of my FA was deadheading home from London and her $5000 watch was lifted from the bags. Was with her the entire time and she does not play games like saying it happened when it did not. Evidence? Well she filed a police report the next time she was in London but I do not have a copy of it. Been three years now and not a peep from anyone about the watch.
There you go! When is the apology coming for calling people liars?
So, if it was with her the whole time, when was the watch taken?
Did she file a report at her destination airport as well? They have baggage handlers there too.
Why put a $5000 watch in baggage..... if that's where it was taken from?
Has she made an insurance claim?

el ... you're right. An occupation gets tarnished by it's lowest denominator... all rock stars are junkies etc
Airport theft is actively fought and prevented by ALL airlines and Airport Authorities. There was a big case a few years ago where security staff were imprisoned for theft. These were contracted staff working for the airport screening bags (great clear images of the contents) and in a position of such trust they were not monitored. Who got the blame? BA loaders because they were BA passengers' bags that were being screened. The theft was happening before a BA hand touched the bag. So, when generalising, be careful not to point the finger at the airline employee all the time. The handler does not know what the bag contains and doesn't have time or opportunity to go rifling baggage on the off chance.
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 23:06
  #35 (permalink)  
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Well, I can only go by experience but I've now flown, probably, something like 3000 sectors in my business existence and I've never had anything lifted by these "light fingered" baggage handlers. Like I said earlier I also, quite regularly, put my €3000 laptop in my hold baggage and it's always there when I collect my case.

Baggage theft is over estimated by the travelling public, it does happen but it's very rare.
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 23:20
  #36 (permalink)  
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Ps I would also say that if I had a $5000 watch I would never put it in the hold if I felt I couldn't handle it's loss, bags do go missing.
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 23:27
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SXM, beside the fact you have told us trice your lucky theft free experience, one episode that I that happened to me circa '98, coming from the States to FCO via CDG, I had two boxed computer items in baggage, one arrived one has not. Other, Malpensa 2003, big sting in the sorting room with hidden cameras and relate media attention.
It is quite diminutive for everyone here that we are reduced to bring our own little "evidence" to show you that you´ve been lucky at the best.
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Old 15th Aug 2006, 23:30
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Guys,

The watch was in a bag that she wanted to carry with her in the cabin but we were running to make the flight, the majority of the pax were onboard and she was forced against her will to check the bag when all the overhead space was full. It had other things in it but this was the only one missing.

When was it done? Who knows but when she hit CONUS and looked for her watch it was missing.

I personally do not temp the people and keep everything possible that is valuable in a carryon bag but with last weeks events that's not always possible.
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Old 16th Aug 2006, 04:34
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No apology will be coming c.d.
That is where you're wrong! I will apologise to a very small number of people who have suffered theft and who have reported it honestly and wihout exaggeration.

However, British Airways is almost watertight as far as baggage security is concerned and I hate to see subjects such as "BA, Thieving B@st&rds" used, and accusations flying around, wihout a shred of evidence, to slate hard-working people who do the most horrible, nasty job in the industry!

To get back on the Original Topic, the baggage allowance is clearly stated - 1 piece at up to 32kg for domestic services. It is a bit harsh to charge excess when the airport authorities are forcing cabin baggage to be checked in, but I feel you haven't made us aware of the full facts - How much other cabin baggage was being checked in? (I say that, as I have never, ever seen anyone travel with just a vanity case in the cabin!
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Old 16th Aug 2006, 04:49
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Oh, so BA and BAA and their staff are lily white and the rest of the world are stealing everyone blind? Come on, it happens everywhere no matter what you say.

Please read the recent news reports about people arriving without luggage, only to receive it a day or two later and all the "goodies" missing. I assume that all of that was done in another country other than the UK?

Have lived in only 6 countries in my short life and there were people who are dishonest in everyone of them. Lets realize that it happens everywhere and try to correct it!

CD

PS you forgot the apology for my FA.
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