The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced plans to address the increasing problem of in-flight theft, particularly on flights from China, where the issue appears to be more organised.
“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,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s senior vice-president for operations, safety and security, during the association’s annual general meeting in New Delhi on 3 June.
Hong Kong recorded 169 cases of in-flight theft involving HK$4.32 million (US$561,600) in valuables in the first 10 months of 2024 – a 75% increase from the same period in 2023. Tokyo’s Narita International Airport has also reported a rise in similar incidents. In Singapore, four individuals have been charged for in-flight theft since January 2023.
“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,” said Careen.
He also addressed other aviation safety concerns, including turbulence, fire hazards from power banks, and gaps in accident reporting. Careen noted, “We’re still the safest mode of transportation... However, we never rest on our laurels in aviation.”
On power banks, IATA is urging standardised airline procedures following new restrictions by several carriers in Asia and the US. “There’s nothing wrong with airlines adjusting their procedures based on their own safety risk assessments,” said Careen.
He further highlighted the need for timely accident reports, citing 107 incomplete investigations from 2018–2023. “You can’t prevent the next (accident) from happening without understanding what happened in the first place,” he said.