Thousands of airline and airport employees go about their jobs every day without ever thinking about going through your belongings. I've flown quite a lot in the last 30 years and while I've only been burglarized once, I've quite obviously come across dozens of hard-working and trustworthy people. But the people you need to guard against are not ordinary people, you should be afraid of the person or people who have figured out how weak we are when flying.
Perhaps the idea that will best help you protect your belongings from anyone is this: the best thieves know that what they steal should not be immediately searchable. They make sure that you have bought something that you will notice after a while, such as when you arrive at the hotel. I come to you with a few tips , they are not about protecting every item you take with you, but they will at least provide a way to protect the most important ones.
All in One Rule
Before you leave home, put all your most important items in one bag, but never take your eyes off it. A friend of mine put her most critical and important belongings (ID card, wallet, cash, jewelry) in a transparent bag visible to everyone, “I keep it visible from space.” said. "So everyone knows what's inside, they don't even intend to stir it up because they know that even if something moves, I'll run to security immediately."
You may not want to carry a freezer bag for your entire journey , but a useful alternative would be to allocate a certain portion of your bag for these items, which you will only need to separate when you need to pass the bag through the security machine. The advantage of having only one area reserved for all your valuables is that you will not have to search one by one for where your wallet , boarding pass, driver's license, medications, etc., can take 30 seconds to find the item you are looking for in your bag, which may seem like minutes. If you know exactly where everything should be and you are sure, it will take a short time for you to notice its absence when you lose something.
Say It Out Loud
When I handed my belongings to airport security , I said, "This is my wallet, this is my ID, this is my watch." While handing it over to them out loud, I realized that in this case, even if they had the intention, they could not attempt it.
Only Two (or Three) Items You Should Keep onboard
There are really only two things you need to have with you when boarding the plane (the third one is not for everyone,
any prescription medication) items: your ID card and credit card . If someone steals every item you brought, these are the items that will be the most difficult and troublesome to replace, and which you will need to replace the stolen items.
Almost everything else can be replaced, groceries and clothing stores are everywhere, but without your ID and credit card you can't rent a car, check in at the airport or hotel, eat, or even get on a plane to return.
Some citizens can add their mobile phones to this list, and they even touch upon an important point. If you find yourself in an unusual situation, you may need all the numbers in your contact book (check if there is still a working phone booth to call).
Having your credit card ready on the plane brings another benefit, in addition to security: the only way to purchase snacks, drinks or beverages, headphones, or an in-flight movie is through a credit card. Don't be the person who rummages through the booth to get a turkey sandwich, keep your card accessible in your pocket.
And finally, the third item you should keep close by is your prescription medications . It may take a long time for these to be replaced immediately, and without your medications, you may experience possible side effects or face serious situations.
Throw Your Wallet and Cash Deep in the Bag You Carry With You
Once you get on the plane, you won't need your cash or wallet , some airlines still accept cash for food, drinks or beverages, and (unbelievably) blankets and pillows. My suggestion would be to bury your wallet and cash so deep in your bag that the only way to find them is by taking the whole bag, turning the contents upside down at home, and spilling them out.
Bag Within a Bag
Anyone who has traveled extensively knows that ever since airlines started charging for the first checked bag, the gate area of a full plane looks like the baggage claim area it did a few months ago. Everyone has definitely had at least one piece of luggage that was left there because it could almost fit into a bathtub inside the metal compartment placed for bag measurement.
Even when only half of the boarding is completed, if the luggage storage space on the seats is full, the cabin crew are forced to choose one of the unlucky passengers who have already boarded and check the luggage to see if he has brought more than his amount into the plane. (It's a joke, but it's true; once, during a cross-country flight, the gate officer announced, "We are aware that the weather is very cold, but do not put your coats in the luggage compartment upstairs, otherwise we will have to check your luggage.")
You never know whether they will take your belongings from you until you reach the end of the journey, so my advice to you is to put a smaller bag in a larger bag, so that you will have a small bag that you can take with you into the plane in case you have to give it to the luggage compartment of the plane. Additionally, in this way, you can take your most valuable belongings (and those that can be stolen most easily) with you and you will have the chance to put them at your doorstep if necessary.
Wear the Things You Really Value
“You can only take it from me when you kill me!” You've probably heard the term before. Of course, we all hope that it won't come to that point, but this should be your motto for your most valuable belongings. Wear what you don't want to lose.
What to Leave Behind
Unless you are going somewhere really far away, of course, you can find socks, toothbrushes, reading glasses, raincoats, books or breakfast dishes everywhere. My opinion is that if it's something you can find cheaply wherever you go, don't put too much effort into protecting it, especially if you might endanger yourself. If it's cheap and available everywhere, don't even sweat it during your trip.
Behind the Airline: In the Hotel and in the Car
The airport isn't the only place where people can rummage through your belongings when you're not looking.
Every time you leave your hotel room , remember that there are many people who have access to your room.
Of course, travelers also hardly trust the poor security of their rental cars . Of course, the alarm is effective, but it is safer not to leave any valuables in the car. And you often have to hand over your car keys to people you don't know in restaurants, city parking lots, or parking lots with only valet facilities. Most of these employees are honest people, but unless you take some precautions, it is likely that you will not be lucky.