Who might cause trouble to my checked-in bags during a layover?

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This was likely an oblique reference to the fact that KLIA has a reputation for baggage theft. Some time ago, this even made the news when police busted a ring involving airport staff:

http://m.aviationweek.com/awin/kl-airport-security-staff-arrested-theft-charges

Basically, the people operating the X-rays were tipping off the baggage handlers about which bags contained juicy targets. While the people involved in this scam were arrested, anecdotal evidence says similar things continue to happen.

All that said, I'm not sure it makes much difference if your bags are in transit or whether you check them out/in, they'll have to go through baggage handling in either case. In your shoes I would probably just check them through, but be extra careful about not having valuables in and bring all essentials in carry-on luggage.

Upvote:-3

The risk is primarily to miscreants working the ramp, baggage system and security.

Meaning, thieves and smugglers can be found in nearly every airport and 8 hours gives them plenty of time to access your baggage. Airports and airlines use all sorts of protective measures so 99.999% (rhetorical figure, I do not have actual statistics) of bags go untouched, but criminals are crafty.

Wrapping the bag in plastic is a great deterrent in that the bad guys will move to a softer target.

Personally, I wouldn't worry about it.

Upvote:3

The problem with baggage handling during long layovers is misplacement rather than theft at most airports. Whether the airport has a modern, fully automated baggage handling system or a fully manual one (yes tehre are still small airports doing this), the process is largely always the same.

  1. The arriving luggage is sorted and forwarded to target (baggage retrieval or next flight).
  2. The baggage for the next is collected in a defined location.
  3. The airport may have the collection area ready only x hours before that flight departs.
  4. Exceptions to the process are handled manually with all such luggage stored in "room for exception".
  5. Humans make errors.

You can minimize the impact and the risk of theft by making sure all important stuff is in your backpack (you are a smart traveller and use a backpack, do you?).

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