It’s not too uncommon to see unattended bags inside an airport lounge. It’s a difficult task to grab food and drinks all while hauling a backpack and a carry-on suitcase.
I admittedly leave my bags unattended for brief moments when at an airport lounge, but how safe is it exactly? How are the risks regarding theft in a lounge? This came to mind during a recent lengthy stay at an American Airlines Flagship Lounge.
First, I absolutely do take precautions when leaving my bags behind. If I’m traveling with a coat or a jacket, I generally place it over my bag so that I can easily see if it’s been tampered with in such a case.
When getting food, I tend to grab a seat close to the buffet so that I don’t have to traverse far across the lounge. This way, I’m able to keep an eye on my items if I need to.
Important smaller items, such as wallets, keys, and IDs, always stay with me in my pockets, regardless of whether I’m in a lounge or not.
I only leave my bags behind when getting food or using the bathroom quickly, mainly to save my seat. If I’m going to be away for longer, like when taking a shower, I absolutely take my bags with me.
Some lounges have bag rooms, where you can place some of your larger items in a locker while you use the lounge:
These are useful and good to keep in mind, especially if you plan to stay at the lounge for quite a bit of time. They’re unfortunately not available at all of them though, so it’s difficult to rely on them during every lounge visit.
It’s also interesting to note that airports often make plenty of announcements to not leave our bags unattended. “Unattended bags will be removed and destroyed.” While we’re often told that, I think there’s a little bit of middle ground in airport lounges.
But every once in a while, I do see bags go unattended for quite a bit of time inside lounges. I don’t think it’s a huge issue security-wise, but again, I don’t think it’s street smart to leave them be for an extended period of time for reasons more related to theft.
Though I don’t imagine theft inside lounges, especially inside some of the more premium ones, is too common, it’s good to be smart and be mindful of your belongings. I think this middle ground of being a little cautious is what works best.
All in all, my verdict is that yes, you can get away with it most of the time while you grab food or drinks or use the bathroom quickly. But be street smart, don’t be careless, and don’t leave your bags alone for longer periods of time. If there are very few people in the lounge, or if there’s someone around that makes you feel uncomfortable, then don’t. It’s definitely a bit tricky.
What are everyone’s thoughts?
All photos taken by the author.
In the past, it was safer to leave your bags alone in the lounge. The only people in there were first-class or premium passengers and frequent travelers. Nowadays, everyone and their dog (literally) seems to have lounge access from a credit card or as an AU, etc. It’s still somewhat safe, but not as safe as it used to be. That being said, if someone stole your bag, they would likely be caught. Everyone who visited the lounge has their name in the check-in system. There are cameras all over lounges and airports. But, if the local police or airport police aren’t interested in investigating it, you’d be out of luck.
Agreed, I’m definitely more comfortable in a Flagship Lounge compared to say, if I were in a Priority Pass lounge.