Curb luggage theft

WHEN passengers entrust their bags to the care of airlines, it is in the belief that they will take the luggage from the point of departure to the point of arrival safely. Unfortunately, such has not been the case in Nigeria in recent years. Greed and job dissatisfaction seem to be at the centre of pilfering at the airports, yet there should be no excuse for this criminal behaviour.

However, it must be noted that tampering with passengers’ luggage is not peculiar to Nigerian airports. A recent CNN report revealed how airport workers in the US were stealing from luggage, unaware that they were being recorded on a hidden camera. According to the report, the Miami-Dade Police Department set up the camera following several reports of missing luggage. The report said there had been 30 621 claims of missing valuables, mostly from checked-in luggage. JF Kennedy International Airport in New York topped the list of airports with the most claims.

To end pilfering from luggage there should be efficient control of access to baggage storage spaces, proper documentation of baggage acceptance and release, automated recording of incoming bags and 24/7 supervision.

There should be remote monitoring of baggage storage facilities, and thieves should be fired.

The airport authorities should fully automate the system so airport staff have minimal contact with luggage.

Conveyor belts that frequently break down only encourage pilfering. The task of installing and maintaining conveyor belts at the airport should go to handling companies that have good track records.