Airlines address surge in in-flight theft as concerns grow

New Straits Times

3 days ago

NEW DELHI: The theft of personal belongings aboard aircraft is an increasing concern in several regions, prompting the global airline trade body to convene discussions in the coming weeks on how best to tackle the issue.
Nick Careen, senior vice-president for operations, safety, and security at the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said reports from member airlines suggest that incidents of in-flight theft have grown more prevalent on certain routes over the past 12 to 18 months.
This trend coincides with the resurgence of international air travel following the pandemic, The Straits Times reported.
"Our security advisory group is planning to meet in the next week or two to discuss what we could potentially do to better manage this – out of China mostly, where it seems to be very organised," he told the media on June 3.
Speaking at IATA's annual general meeting in New Delhi, India, Careen also addressed a range of aviation safety concerns, including turbulence, shortcomings in accident reporting, and GPS jamming and spoofing in proximity to conflict zones.
He said: "We're still the safest mode of transportation... However, we never rest on our laurels in aviation. There are headwinds. There are things that we need to keep an eye on."
On in-flight theft, Careen said he did not want to point fingers, but the concern is the degree of organisation in recent cases.
"How we deal with that, whether it's security on board or cooperation from local governments in terms of the appropriate penalties... those are the types of things that we will see come out of this," he added.
Reports of theft on board flights to various Asian cities have been increasing. In the first ten months of 2024, Hong Kong recorded 169 such incidents, involving HK$4.32 million (RM2.34 million) worth of valuables—marking a 75 per cent rise compared to the same period in 2023.
Tokyo's Narita International Airport also reported a recent spike in in-flight thefts.
In Singapore, four people were charged over in-flight theft between January 2023 and September 2024, CNA reported in January.
Most recently, Chinese national Zhang Kun, 51, pleaded guilty in May to stealing a credit card and more than RM658 in cash from a fellow passenger on an overnight Scoot flight from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore in March.
Airlines have tightened restrictions on power bank use due to concerns about aircraft fires, following incidents such as the Air Busan blaze in South Korea in January.
Singapore Airlines, Scoot, and carriers across South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, and Hong Kong banned their use and charging in April, while Southwest Airlines in the US implemented stricter rules in May.
While airlines are justified in adjusting safety procedures based on their own risk assessments, IATA cautions against reactionary measures, as there has been no significant increase in onboard fires.
Standardised safety protocols should be established through regulatory reviews by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, which is currently assessing the issue.
Turbulence remains the leading cause of accidents aboard aircraft, prompting IATA to enhance real-time data-sharing through its Turbulence Aware platform, now used by 28 airlines.
Although turbulence incidents have risen, this is largely due to increased reporting rather than a genuine surge in occurrences.
High-profile events such as the severe turbulence experienced by Singapore Airlines' Flight SQ321 in May 2024, which resulted in a passenger fatality, have amplified concerns.
However, it is still too early to determine whether climate change is directly influencing turbulence trends.
Careen urged governments to improve accident reporting standards, highlighting inconsistencies in investigations.
He pointed out that 107 investigations from 2018 to 2023 remain incomplete, with 234 fatalities recorded.
He stressed the importance of thorough reporting, as understanding past accidents is critical in preventing future incidents.
The politicisation of investigations, as well as labour and technical challenges, continue to hamper progress. While some delays are understandable, a lack of clear reasons for incomplete investigations remains a problem.
Despite an overall decline in accident rates, onboard fatalities saw a significant increase in 2024.
According to IATA, there were 1.13 accidents per million flights, below the five-year average of 1.25.
However, the number of deaths surged to 244 from 72 in 2023. The fatality risk of 0.06 in 2024, although lower than the five-year average of 0.1, underscores the need for ongoing safety improvements.
These figures highlight the importance of continuous efforts to enhance aviation safety through data-driven strategies and regulatory oversight.