Cabin crew routinely have to check seats to stop safety equipment being swiped. Photo / 123RF
Cabin crew routinely have to check seats to stop safety equipment being swiped. Photo / 123RF
Cabin crew in Europe have been told to be on the lookout for light-fingered passengers after reports of an increase in vital safety equipment being lifted from planes.
Travellers taking souvenirs from aircraft is nothing new - cutlery, inflight magazines, travel rugs. Online auction listings are full of these. However, the mania for aeroplane memorabilia is being taken to new, dangerous heights.
This week The Sun reported that there has been an increase in life vests being lifted from passenger jets.
Pointing to eBay listings, unused plane life jackets are being flogged at $200 a pop.
You can easily find unexpired life jackets and vests, with current ACS certificates for sale. While some of these are surplus sold to AV Geeks, there are plenty of objects apparently swiped from passenger seats.
One exasperated former flight attendant said the issue of vests being taken by passengers is nothing new. It’s an item that has to be replaced with worrying frequency.
“We had to check each seat after each flight to make sure each one had a vest,” they told the Washington Post.
Some lifejackets and aircraft safety equipment resurfaces online, for sale. Photo / Screenshot; Ebay
What you can and can’t take from a plane
Premium class passengers are the worst for lifting objects from planes.
According to trade publication Skift, upgraded pillows and blankets from first class were the objects airlines have to replace most frequently. Objects with airline logos are particularly prized.
Having forked out for a business class fare, it appears passengers assume that they have already paid for a set of KLM cutlery.
A leaked memo from United Airlines asked cabin crew to be on the lookout for passengers packing away amenities in carry on luggage.
In 2017 the airline told staff that there was “some confusion about which amenities may be taken off the plane at the end of the flight”.
The issue of replacing items that walk off the plane amounts to millions of dollars across the network.
Airsickness bags - Yes
Standard issue barf bags are there to be taken.
If you have to reach for an airsickness bag, it’s normally not a good sign. However, some passengers collect them. In fact, for some, it is a competitive sport.
Niek Vermeulen from the Netherlands has held the Guinness World record for the largest vomit bag collection since 1986. With almost 4000 bags from over 800 airlines, his most prized possession is an airsickness bag from the Nasa space shuttle Columbia.
It came to the collection after two weeks in space - thankfully unused.
'Lifevest Under Seat': You shouldn't have told them! Photo / Florian Erdmenger, 123RF
Eye masks and pyjamas - Yes
The eye coverings are there to be taken. Some airlines, like Qantas, will provide full sleepwear in premium cabin classes for passengers to get proper shut-eye. Due to tightened hygiene measures, these can’t be reused. Help yourself!
They’re a helpful souvenir to help combat jet lag after you’ve touched back down on home soil.
Earphones and headphones - It depends
The headphones from personal entertainment systems can be a life-saver, especially if you’ve forgotten your own and have arrived at your destination at a true-crime podcast cliffhanger.
On most flights it’s fine to take these cheap earphones with you as a make do, but not always. Some airlines spend a lot on their over-the-ear headphones, and would rather you leave them behind. These are normally cleaned with new ear coverings between flights.
The quick rule is that earphones and earbuds are fine to take, but leave the headphones.
Most airlines make this clear by fitting twin or triple-pin plugs onto their headsets, to stop them being compatible with your iPhone or walkman.
Lifejackets and safety cards - Definite no
Stealing life jackets and other safety equipment is definitely not OK and can land you in deep trouble if you’re found out.
It is not only frowned upon but can result in criminal charges and fines. In the US interfering with crew’s duty for aircraft safety can result in a civil penalty and fines of up to US$25,000. Interfering with aircraft safety will carry severe charges in most countries, though some are more lenient.
Recently a Hanoi woman was fined 8.5 million dong ($600) for taking a life vest from a VietJet plane. Duong Thi Dung, 60, initially got away with taking the lifejacket but was subsequently found with it in her luggage while boarding another plane to La Dat, a week later.
The New Zealand Aviation Security Service allows passengers to fly with their own life jackets, up to two per passenger but gas cylinders must be declared to the airline for approval.
They probably want to check it isn’t one of theirs.
