Flying Safe--How to Protect Your Valuables at 35,000 Feet

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

20 Mar 2008 04:06 PM

Because I travel with a young child I often enjoy the luxury of boarding an airplane prior to my fellow economy class passengers. Consequently, I am treated to a solid 15 minutes (at least) of people watching. During that time I observe the creative methods travelers employ as they try to cram as many of their oversized carry-ons in overhead bins or underneath the seats in front of them.

During my most recent 9-hour flight I observed a gentleman, who boarded at the last minute, try to find space for his gigantic suitcase (honestly, I don't know how the guy made it past security and four flight attendants with the monster bag). By the time he entered the plane there wasn't enough space for a comb to fit in the overhead bins let alone a suitcase that was larger than my 3-year-old.

That didn't seem to faze him. I kid you not, this guy proceeded to take out other passengers' bags and place them on the floor of the plane while he placed his suitcase in the overhead bin. And that's not the worst part. When he realized that he couldn't cram their bags around his he started to unzip the bags that didn't belong to him to see if he could squish the air out of them and make them fit into the overhead compartment that he had commandeered.

The entire time I was wondering where in the world were the owners of the displaced bags. I would be irate if I caught some stranger unzipping my bag in an effort to minimize its size. I did notice one passenger try to communicate with the man, but he pretended he didn't speak English (I say "pretended" because later I saw the guy in line for the restroom and he spoke English beautifully). Finally, a flight attendant came over and ended up taking the man's bag to the back of the plane and returned the other bags to the overhead bin.

Needless to say, the incident certainly made me consider how easy it would be for a fellow airline passenger to walk off with your bag or at the very least open your carry-on while you were sleeping, reading, or in the bathroom during a flight and steal your valuables.

So what can you do to protect your goods while in mid-air?

Here are a few tips:

Keep your bags as close to you as possible. Some late-to-arrive passengers have to make do with finding space for their bags in an overhead bin 10 rows away from their assigned seats. To avoid this from happening to you I would recommend boarding as early as possible and if you can't find space explain your concerns to a flight attendant and see what they can do to help you.

Be careful how you store your bags. This is especially critical when storing your bag under the seat in front of you. You don't want the pockets of your bag to face forward. It just makes it easier for the passenger in front of you to access the goods inside those pockets Also, don't store your wallet or other valuables in your bag's outer compartments. That's a thief's dream come true. Rather, bury your valuables deep in your carry-on. You can retrieve them and put them someplace more convenient once you've deplaned.

If you are traveling with a jacket or coat and take advantage of space in the plane's closet remember to take all your valuables--especially your passport or wallet--out of the pockets. By leaving them in there you are practically inviting a thief to take your things.

Use common sense. Yes, you are on vacation. And yes, you might have just been forced to undergo a frisking at the security screening area, but keep your wits about you. Keep your wallet out of your back pocket, remember to zip up your purse, and don't let strangers touch your bags.

Related Articles:

The One Thing You DON't Want To See On An Airplane

What To Do When Your Luggage Doesn't Arrive When You Do

The Ugly Truth About Airplane Water

How To Get Your Precious Bottles Home From Vacation

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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