Luggage Stolen

[gappedit]

Anyone had luggage stolen of items taken out of checked in bags at OR Tambo Airport for SAA flights leaving SA?

Seems to be more & more common for pilfering - breaking locks off suitcases and picking through items.

Possibly drugs put in to be taken out at this end?

[coyote]

I dont think you need to worry about somebody randomly throwing drugs in your case what would be the point of that - anyone bringing drugs into a country does it for the money (dont they??) maybe im wrong!... I think they would be pretty darn stupid to do that.

As for the missing goods - we travelled with Emirates and had no issues - I cant answer for SAA unfortunately, but hopefully your stuff will be ok. Check in as late as possible - so it doesnt give them much time to have a good old dig!!

[PieterK]

Thankfully no, but here's what I do to try and prevent it:

1. Plastic-wrap your bags. If you don't feel like doing it at home you can have it done at R50/bag right as you enter departures at Joburg International.

2. If you can lock your bags in any way, do it.

3. Use cheap and well-worn, (or at least luggage that looks well-worn, even if it isn't), that way they are less likely to think there's something expensive in the luggage.

4. Leave check-in as late as you can, that way they;

a. Have the least amount of time to dig in your bags

b. Should be at their busiest loading all of the luggage

That way, if your bags are wrapped and locked it takes them longer to get into your bag than into the bag next to yours that isn't locked or wrapped, so they will probably choose to dig in that bag rather than yours seen as though time is limited.

[HansaPlease]

I dont think you need to worry about somebody randomly throwing drugs in your case what would be the point of that - anyone bringing drugs into a country does it for the money (dont they??) maybe im wrong!... I think they would be pretty darn stupid to do that.

It's not such a crazy idea - the baggage handler in one country puts the drugs in your bag, your bag flies to another country - another baggage handler at your destination takes the drugs out of your bag after being told which bag to look for. The drugs get a free flight to another country and nobody knows anything. That's the theory anyway.

I reckon it happens more in dodgy countries where airport security (including monitoring of airport staff) is not as tight. SA to Australia? Probably not much at all.

[Happy2Bhere]

Ons het met SAA gevlieg vanaf Kaapstad na Johannesburg en toe Qantas via Sydney na Melbourne in 2008. Een van ons tasse het weg geraak en toe ons op Sydney kom kon hulle nie vir ons sê waar die tas is nie... Toe ons in Melbourne land toe hoor ons die tas is nog in Kaapstad en is nooit eers saam met ons op die vliegtuig weg nie...

Wel na baie telefoon oproepe heen en weer is ons verlore tas 5 dae later afgelewer by ons apartment... alle slotte was afgebreek en daar was duidelik in die tas gekrap... boxies is oopgemaak ens... niks was weg nie maar die tas is beskadig ek kan glad nie weer toe zip nie...

[Sibella]

We flew from London to Joburg, then from Joburg to Cape Town, then back to Joburg and finally back to London.

My one suitcase contained christmas presents - for our family on the way there, from our family on the way back. We shrink wrapped one suitcase on the flight to Joburg, but after that didn't bother.

We also travelled with a brand new car seat and very expensive buggy (pram). We had no losses and excellent service from everyone in South Africa.

Can't say the same about London though.

[pkn]

PieterK, I would not recommend leaving check in as late as possible. SAA especially are in the business of overbooking their international flights (by 30 passengers per flight) and people then get left behind ...happened to me in Munich.

[EricaC]

Anyone had luggage stolen of items taken out of checked in bags at OR Tambo Airport for SAA flights leaving SA?

Seems to be more & more common for pilfering - breaking locks off suitcases and picking through items.

Possibly drugs put in to be taken out at this end?

Yes gappedit, I must agree with HansaPlease, inside job...information, I will put nothing past these corrupt luggage handles anywhere in

the world! If that should ever happen to someones luggage, let just hope the informant on the other end is not off sick that day to take

out the 'haul'........... Yeah plastic wrap the best solution.

Erica

[bluebonnet]

I checked in my bags at OR Tambo to Dubai 2 hours before departure...nothing missing. Yippeeee!!

[Mythryl]

My sister was in SA back in December. She had her luggage locked and shrink wrapped and they simply cut the shrink wrap, broke the lock and cut the cable ties and stole her video camera