Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
04 August 2014 09:13
One in 10 Brits has had items stolen from their hand luggage at airports
Pickpockets are targeting holidaymakers and their hand luggage at airports, research reveals.
As many as 11% of travelling Britons have had items stolen while waiting to catch a flight, according to storage company Versapak, with mobile phones, money and passports among the most likely items taken.
Jewellery and tablet computers are other personal belongings that thieves tend to target at airports.
Some 64% of the 2,836 adults questioned, meanwhile, know a friend or family member who has fallen prey to pickpockets.
It is therefore extremely important to protect yourself with adequate travel insurance when jetting off abroad. This can cover you against theft, whether in the airport or at your destination, so it is something you shouldn't leave home without.
Distraction is the main technique used by pickpockets at airports, with 42% of the victims losing out in this way. A further 36% fell asleep at the boarding gate or departure lounges, while 12% were going to the toilet or buying goods in airport shops when the thieves struck.
But despite the high number of thefts, just 47% decided to report the incident to employees at the airport. Only 18% of these successfully managed to retrieve the stolen item or find out what happened to it.
Turkey topped the charts for the most airports thefts - 19% - followed by Egypt (17%), France (12%), America (9%), and Greece (6%). In fact, 88% of the airport thefts involving Brits happened outside of the UK.
The most likely items to be taken from hand luggage while at an airport were mobile phones (19%), money (16%), passports (11%), jewellery (6%) and tablets (4%). Holidaymakers should therefore make sure they keep an eye on their possessions at all times, especially when walking around a busy airport.
16 February 2019
Holidaymakers were left fuming after a "lack of clarity" over Brexit led a Romanian airline to cancel flights from Liverpool's John Lennon Airport.
[more...]
15 February 2019
British Airways celebrated Valentine's Day with a special flight where all members of the cabin crew were couples who work for the airline.
14 February 2019
The "concerning" level of stigma surrounding the human papilloma virus (HPV) could be putting some women off going for vital check-ups, campaigners are warning.
13 February 2019
Older people living with depression should be given better access to community activities and therapy instead of being prescribed antidepressants, researchers have urged.
12 February 2019
The Government has been criticised for failing to act on warnings about the link between processed meats and cancer, by the scientist who co-authored the original advice.
09 February 2019
A grandfather who has battled three types of cancer is cycling from Twickenham to Tokyo in time for the Rugby World Cup - all in aid of charity.
08 February 2019
Lovers of traditional fish and chips are embracing a more health-conscious version of their favourite food, a new study suggests.
07 February 2019
Two thirds of UK adults don't know they're able to lower their risk of developing dementia, new research has shown.
06 February 2019
More than 600 people a day are quitting their jobs to care for relatives, a charity has warned.
05 February 2019
Millennials in the US face an increasing risk of developing an obesity-related cancer, a new study has revealed.
02 February 2019
More than 100 people sought refuge at a pub high on Bodmin Moor overnight after heavy snowfall hit the A30, leading many stranded motorists to abandon their cars.
01 February 2019
Smokers are almost twice as likely to quit with the help of e-cigarettes than if they rely on nicotine patches or gum, a study has found.