"Security Alert" message about luggage at the Budapest Airport?

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

I wonder how real that alert really is?
The US embassy sent me a message about luggage going missing from the airport.
I am a bit surprised this can still go on with the modern screening of bags and only passengers being allowed into baggage claim areas these days.
Anyone who packs valuable items in checked luggage is crazy to begin with. not being allowed to lock our bags should make people think about who can have access to their property.
I have no idea how much the airlines have to pay out for each bag lost these days.
I know it used to be only up to $500. but I have heard a rumor that it is now as high as $3,000. for each bag missing. Of course you would need receipts on your items.
....

I read that alert about the bags.  Mrs Fluffy told me several days before there was some scam going on at the airport but the police were now observing all the baggage handlers in person and on CCTV.  Apparently they've moved very rapidly to stop that kind of thing.  Moreover, they've arrested the culprits and found a lot of the stolen goods at their homes.

I was at the airport yesterday after a couple of interconnecting flights from further East.  I had a substantial amount of luggage.  I didn't have any problems at all but they were a bit slow delivering the bags but it wasn't the worst case I've experienced at BUD.  The worst case is when there's not a  couple of daily flights and you have to wait a couple of days for your stuff to arrive.  But no-one went through my bags (I have tough ones, named brands, with locks which might deter a casual thief).

No-one should be travelling without substantial levels of travel insurance - this pretty much covers you for these kinds of losses, delays and emergency purchases for lost or delayed bags.  And of course, it covers you for more serious issues like hospitalisation or repatriation.

Glad you had safe travels.
I thought it was a scam of sorts.
These days they tag the bags pretty well so it's harder to actually lose a bag then back before the computer system was in play.
I know for a fact my bags were "misplaced" as the airlines like to say instead of lost, at the BUD airport.
Only would be able to pin point  where the mishap happened because when we arrived from BUD to Munich,our overseas flight was cancelled for 2 days! They asked everyone to go to baggage claim and pick up their bags before taking us to a hotel. My husbands bags were collected but mine were no where to be found.
Landed in Vegas 2/12 days late and waited another 5 days for my bags to arrive! Would of been horrible if I was in route and not staying put in one place, my bags might of been sent all over the world.
I wish I could just put 10 layers of clothing on and forgo all bags...

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Glad you had safe travels.
I thought it was a scam of sorts.
These days they tag the bags pretty well so it's harder to actually lose a bag then back before the computer system was in play.
I know for a fact my bags were "misplaced" as the airlines like to say instead of lost, at the BUD airport.
Only would be able to pin point  where the mishap happened because when we arrived from BUD to Munich,our overseas flight was cancelled for 2 days! They asked everyone to go to baggage claim and pick up their bags before taking us to a hotel. My husbands bags were collected but mine were no where to be found.
Landed in Vegas 2/12 days late and waited another 5 days for my bags to arrive! Would of been horrible if I was in route and not staying put in one place, my bags might of been sent all over the world.
I wish I could just put 10 layers of clothing on and forgo all bags...

Tell me about it. 

I went from here to Mongolia on Aeroflot a couple of years ago and there, they then only have 3 flights or so a week from Moscow. I arrived in Ulaanbator with only the basics like my laptop and papers in my carry on bag and no main luggage.   I think (don't remember clearly) I arrived on a Wednesday in my T-shirt and jeans, had work the next day and on Friday so I had to get to the one and only department store to try and get something thing to survive until the plane arrived on Sunday (or whenever). 

Most Mongolians are quite small compared to Western people.  I'm not exactly a stick insect.  Anyway, the only clothing I could find was stretchy stuff in the sports department.  I ended up with a couple of T-shirts made for basket ball players with large team logos on which normally I wouldn't be seen dead in.  Nothing else would fit.  D'oh!

Luckily my explanation at a meeting  was met with nods and understanding.  Everyone else was dressed in rather sterner business attire.  Even luckier, it had happened several times before and foreigners were seen in T-shirts, hoodie, jeans and trainers on a regular basis - for the uninitiated, it probably seemed this was our "national dress" in the West!     

Needless to say, I am better prepared these days and carefully think about the risks of arriving without backup clothing!

Given the number of people in Hungary that probably get a cheap flight and go on a retail holiday to buy high ticket items abroad, and thus avoid the local 27% VAT (the VAT savings probably more than pay for the flight costs), I am not surprised some of the baggage handlers would "succumb" to the temptation of what may be in the bags.

klsallee wrote:

Given the number of people in Hungary that probably get a cheap flight and go on a retail holiday to buy high ticket items abroad, and thus avoid the local 27% VAT (the VAT savings probably more than pay for the flight costs), I am not surprised some of the baggage handlers would "succumb" to the temptation of what may be in the bags.

That's not the right attitude.

Why not just take a Ryanair trip to say, the UK and do some shoplifting for essentials while there? 

The cops don't even bother attending now - Guilty by Post. 

All one needs is a false ID, false address and it's all free and clear.  Even without an ID, probably OK too. 

And then just give the stolen goods away to a charity shop before departure or just leave it at the hotel or dump it at the airport. 

Job done!

fluffy2560 wrote:

That's not the right attitude.

True. True.

Being a realist is a real PITA at times.

klsallee wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

That's not the right attitude.

True. True.

Being a realist is a real PITA at times.

I dunno, all of us wobble between fantasy and reality most of the time or even at the same time.

I always wondered if the rich and famous actually take luggage or just buy it when they get there?

My bro was a roadie back in the 80's for rock bands, mostly heavy metal ones.
Yes, they bring allot of bags with them , not just equipment, customs etc.
I mentioned to him that Iron Maiden ( I'm getting so old I almost wrote Iron Butterfly!) was coming soon to Hungary. He worked for them, said they were great guys, heavy metal is not music I have ever enjoyed but everyone has their own tune, different drummers.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

...... heavy metal is not music I have ever enjoyed but everyone has their own tune, different drummers.

I'm a metal fan myself so I wouldn't quite say that. 

One of my relatives used to work for Astraeus Airlines as cabin crew, which, you may be surprised to know has a certain Bruce Dickinson as one of its Captains.  And who is Bruce Dickinson? Find out here!.

Yup!  The one and only!  Now that's a definite Six Degrees of Freedom thing.

Wow more to him then meets the eye.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Wow more to him then meets the eye.

Fella is a serial entrepreneur and a total aviation nut.

He flies for all sorts of airlines on the side and you'll never know if it's him at the controls.

Here's another one who flies on the side: Dutch King moonlighting for KLM

I actually wrote to the embassy about what I felt was happening. My luggage went missing on a flight from Paris to Budapest early February.  I was one of the last off the plane and despite my rapid exit and rush to the luggage carousel, one of my suitcases was missing and the carousel was stopped.  I walked over to the missing luggage booth and there was a man who seemed to have claimed about 20 pieces of luggage around him. I filled out the forms and as the booth reception was about to process the report, another guy said "You said a black and purple IPod case?  Look over there!"  Sure enough, my suitcase was face down by the man around the suitcases.  It was only purple on the front so I didn't see it.  The man with all the luggage didn't fight it and I showed my luggage number and took it, apologizing to the reception for the time I took filling out a now useless Hungarian form.  But I was left wondering if:

*it was simply an accident
*if shutting down the carousel quickly was a union issue
*if the carousel was shut down early deliberately
*if the man was an unclaimed luggage porter or
*if the 20 bags around him were all lost or simply close to him for keeping should a person forget one piece of luggage (they were all black or dark luggage, easy to say oops) . 
*Finally, was it simple Magyar clumsy bureaucracy?

A French man behind me was missing all his luggage, and did not find it, so I consider myself lucky. 

When I received the warning, I sent the embassy a more formal description of above and now I wonder what really was what.  I carry my valuables in my carry on and only some gifts, books, and clothes would have been taken. 

Melody

What did the Embassy say Melody to your report?

They've taken action over stolen luggage now and found the people responsible.  I think quite a lot of things were recovered.  It was a gang of 4-5 people and they found a lot of the stuff at their place.  Since then I think it's now stopped.

In 23 years,  I've never had my luggage stolen or opened or lost at Budapest.  I've had it damaged.   I've had locks ripped off, zips damaged, handles torn off, cracks in them and wheels smashed. I always carry a roll of tape which can use in an emergency to patch up my bags.  Malev used to be pretty good at having bags repaired.

I've had plenty of delayed and misrouted bags but they are quite good at recovery in Europe. 

It's common sense to write your name (not address) and phone number on multiple places on and in the bag (not on a simple tag) and written in permanent marker.   Including FF (Frequent Flyer) numbers on various places is also helpful so they can trace it straight back to you via different airlines.

I always do as well.  Name and both addresses everywhere.