Airlines bewail rampant baggage pilferage at NAIA

International airlines operating out of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) bewailed the growing number of baggage pilferage cases victimizing their passengers.

It was learned that because of the persistent cases of pilferage, the Airline Operators Council and their 29 member-airlines, have submitted a formal complaint before the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA).

The AOC filed the complaint after the recent case of baggage pilferage victimizing the son of the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the Philippines.

The passenger reportedly lost an expensive gold Rolex watch and other valuables placed in one of his checked-in bags during a flight to Saudi Arabia last June 20.

The AOC recalled that one other major pilferage case involved the theft of a laptop computer from a bag of a Saudi Arabian carrier’s passenger last January.

According to their figures, the AOC said that there have been at least three pilferage cases that take place at the NAIA each month for the past year.

This, they said, was lamentable, considering that other international airports record that number of pilferage cases for the entire year.

The AOC recommended to MIAA that it look into the assignment of security guards from private security agencies manning the baggage conveyor belts and other areas at the NAIA, where the baggage of passengers go through.

AOC said these areas could be manned by uniformed PNP personnel to prevent the pilferage.

It can be recalled that MIAA had recently enforced measures to prevent baggage pilferage at the NAIA, including the reduction of airport personnel allowed at the ramp areas where cargo unloaded from aircraft of the different flights go through.