Flight attendant reveals airport thieves are secretly hiding among us — here's one thing every traveler should do to stop them
Airports might seem like safe havens due to the abundance of security personnel. However, Argentine flight attendant Barbara Bacilieri revealed how thieves are robbing passengers and duty-free shops at will — and what flyers can do to prevent themselves from becoming a target.
The crew member — who also goes by Barbiebac online — spilled the beans on this disconcerting phenomenon in a series of videos that have collectively amassed more than 2 million views on TikTok.
'Airports operate like small cities, and just like in any city, crime happens every single day — only here, it's harder to see, and even harder to stop,' Bacilieri warned her over 4.9 million followers, per Jam Press.
The influencer, who hails from Argentina but works for Spanish budget carrier Vueling, said that robbers will purchase tickets so they can steal from passengers and stores without ever boarding a plane.
'[Criminals'] only goal is to pass through security, access the boarding gates and rob passengers or duty-free stores, then disappear before the flight departs,' she cautioned.
Despite flight hubs' stringent security measures, these airport pilferers rarely face severe punishment, according to Bacilieri. 'Some of these thieves are repeat offenders, caught on camera, exposed on Instagram or TikTok, and yet they're still there, walking through terminals like regular travelers,' the air hostess lamented. 'Nobody stops them. No one follows up.'
Often, thieves aren't even stealing physical belongings. Using the airport's USB charging ports is a particularly risky proposition, as cybercriminals can hack them and access travelers' bank details and other personal information.
Some flight hub burglars even use Near Field Communication scanners to extract data from passengers' credit cards as they brush by them.
This surreptitious card swiping often flies under the radar until days later, when said card's owner spots an unauthorized transaction (often in a foreign country), which makes this crime extremely difficult to prevent.
Unfortunately, travelers also have to remain vigilant after boarding the plane.
'The [thieves] wait for the lights to dim, for passengers to fall asleep, and then quietly open overhead bins, unzip bags and take what they want. Jewelry, cash, electronics,' declared Barbiebac. 'I've seen it happen. I've reported it. And the truth is, without cameras on board, there's often nothing we can do.'
'And yes, they steal from the crew too,' added the social media star, who frequently shares travel tips on TikTok.
Fortunately, the content creator outlined a few ways that passengers can protect themselves against airport opportunists.
First and foremost, she advised flyers to never leave their bags, electronic devices or any other valuables unattended at the airport.
To protect against cybercriminals, Bacilieri suggested that passengers bring their own USB charging ports and use special Radio Frequency Identification-blocking wallets to prevent bad actors from skimming the info from their credit card chips.
The air hostess also recommended that travelers lock their carry-on — even aboard the plane — and to also 'be cautious of overly friendly strangers, both in terminals and on board.'
'If something feels off, report it to the crew immediately,' she advised.
Unfortunately, crew members have been found guilty of airport robberies as well.
In 2023, a security officer at a Philippines airport was caught allegedly shoving $300 in bills into her mouth after snatching the dough from a tourist.
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