Safety/Security of Airline supplied lounges

[wallacej]

I put this in open discussion as it doesn't pertain to any one particular airline provided facility.

I wrote this in another thread, but think it deserves it's own.

I have read with interest others having lost/stolen/misplaced their personal property whilst in an invite only/paid membership airline lounge.


I have always felt comfortable (until now) leaving my goods unattended while going to the bar or bathroom etc whilst in the lounge or the QP... might have to pay a little more attention now.

A little dissappointing. I had always considered that the lounge/QP were one of the final places you could leave something unattended and not be concerned about theft.

 

[simongr]

I completely agree - generally I will happily leave my laptop, BB, phone and ipod lieing around whilst mooching around the lounge. Similarly I will happily have a snooze and leave most of my gear on the table I am sat t - a sad state of affairs indeed...

 

[oz_mark]

I agree as well, I have never had an issue with leaving things on a table while I head off to the bar etc. It is indeed a sad state of affairs when stuff gets nicked while in the club.

 

[Batesy]

What is the actual story, where & what happened??

 

[Platy]

I would NEVER leave any of my bags or laptops unattended in a club lounge.

A friend of mine has actually had his laptop stolen in the SYD QF club - he had his back turned for less than a minute.

Based on this I would strongly recommend all fellow travellers to exercise the utmost caution and never to leave valuables/laptops unattended!!!

 

[serfty]

What is the actual story, where & what happened??

See here:

• http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...left-in-overhead-locker-12391.html#post161245

 

[kpc]

The problem is how can you bring your luggage to the bar / eatery as you need both hands to grab the stuff:?: ? I've always struggled to decide what to do! If I need to visit the bathroom, and it's a short visit, I leave my stuff outside, but if I need to be in the bathroom for a while, I bring everything with me....then it's a struggle to fit everything in the cubicle!!

I hate having my wallet in my back pocket, if I'm going to be sitting for a long while on a plane, and if travelling overseas, will also have my passport / travelling documents in my carryon bag with the wallet. I really then shouldn't leave the bag unattended (but I do!) as if it is stolen, I would be absolutely stuffed!!

 

[Evan]

I try not to ever leave any small things around, but i have often got to get food/drinks with notebook on table, its just not practical to put it away.

Its a sad state of affairs but i guess thats life.

Now this is when cameras would be great, (i know, invasion of privacy etc etc. but ignoring that) at entrance if they scan cards/passes and can identify the time with a person i am sure, then you should be able to figure out who took the goods if you can match the people photos.

E

 

[Warks]

In the good old days (not that long ago) there used to be pigeon holes to the right of the entrance to the Sydney QC. When I first entered this cloistered world after years of independent (non-business) scumbag travel it was such a relief to have a place where I could drop my bag and not worry about it. That also applies to perceived bomb threats of unattended baggage.

If I'm in the Business Centre I still leave the laptop starting up or connecting while I go off to grab some brekkie. I may be too trusting but I'd have hoped that the QC wouldn't fall to this level too soon. I guess it's just a numbers game - when you look at how many people are now members we are going to pick up some undesirables.

I wouldn't want to lose my laptop even though it's company owned there wouldn't be a personal cost - I'd hate to lose my data. Don't have a lot of company secrets that would be worth anything though!

 

[serfty]

The laptop I travel with is worth < $500 - I have no issue with leaving it on a desk while reloading with HP's. I WILL take my mobile phone/wallet etc .

 

[simongr]

I wouldn't want to lose my laptop even though it's company owned there wouldn't be a personal cost - I'd hate to lose my data. Don't have a lot of company secrets that would be worth anything though!

Having just killed my laptop (with a glass of Chardonnay on QF22 when I realised I couldnt watch TV on the laptop, eat dinner and drink a glass of wine all at once) I am now seeing the benefit of regular back ups in a small 20-120 gig external HD.

The one thing that I have relied on when leaving laptops lieing around is that I see the majority of people already have a laptop in the lounge so the need/greed factor might not be there.

Somewhat foolish perhaps...

 

[Zippy7]

Interesting...
Of the times I have used the various lounges, I guess I tend to be sitting near other peeps using laptops/power sockets. I don't think I'd leave my laptop out if I was using the supplied computers. Maybe its best not to tarry around the food service areas when restocking
Mind you, I'd take all my stuff with me when showering.

 

[jpk]

We are quite a trusting lot in Oz aren't we. For instance we all go down the beach for a swim and leave our car keys either on the tyre or under our towel. I've always felt reasonably safe in QF lounges too as most people are either the sort who have no need to steal, or are the "good aussie" who don't mind keeping an eye on your stuff for you while your in the bathroom. In EU where most lounges are restricted to status or J/F pax the same applies.

Lately though (and i hope this doesn't start another "class" or "style" war) I can't help but feel that the tone of the QP's are dropping. Extremely relaxed dress standards, cheap memberships, overcrowding etc have contributed to an atmosphere where I am becoming wary in the lounge. Another issue that happens surprisingly often is where company notebooks are deliberately targeted by rival companies for the data on them. So while we don't need to be alarmed, we should all be careful and use common sense. I'd also like to see BP's scanned at the desk - QF haven't a clue who are in the lounge most of the time.

Finally, I learnt when living in London not to keep your wallet in your back pocket - too easy to steal. And since BA38 dropped onto LHR's runway, I've always kept my passport & wallet either on me or in the seat pocket so that in an evac I will have it on me.

Cheers,
Justin.

 

[Evan]

Another issue that happens surprisingly often is where company notebooks are deliberately targeted by rival companies for the data on them. So while we don't need to be alarmed, we should all be careful and use common sense.

This is why my laptop hard drive is fully encrypted (i thought it would slow it down but hardly notice the difference).
I have lots of confidential data on my machine and would never expose customers to the risk that it was stolen and not protected.

E

 

[kpc]

And since BA38 dropped onto LHR's runway, I've always kept my passport & wallet....... or in the seat pocket so that in an evac I will have it on me.

Are you not worried that you might forget them in the haste to get off the plane? That's what I would be worried about!

 

[jpk]

Are you not worried that you might forget them in the haste to get off the plane? That's what I would be worried about!

Probably depends if I got my aisle preference or was stuck on a window

 

[Alanslegal]

If you're on a Hand Luggage Only challenge it may be a difficult choice whether or not to leave your things whilst you go run to the bathroom or more importantly the booze bar.

But for me, I usually only carry a laptop backpack, so its a matter of closing the screen, the laptop automatically goes into a "light sleep" mode, I go to the bathroom or grab myself a drink and some nibblies, and a few minutes later I am back in my warmed lounge chair......

I can see the opportunity v low risk if stealing a wallet , blackberry, ipod or a phone.... but the fact that someone is brazen enough to steal a laptop is just plain scary........... maybe their travels are funded through theft?

 

[dot]

For me, I have always felt uneasy leaving my stuff unattended. If I am in the QP business centre and I need to leave (for a drink or a bio-break, I lock my laptop to the chair with a security cable (or I take my stuff with me). If I am in the lounge area, I never leave the laptop out when I need to go to the bar or food areas although I will leave my backpack with the laptop in it unattended, but only if I can keep an eye on my stuff while getting food/drink. I (pretty much) always take my stuff to the toilets with me. The problem with taking everything with you is that by the time you get back, sometimes you cant get a seat anymore.

About the only place I am prepared to loosen this behaviour is in the Flounges - and then only if there are not many people there. (I figure with less pax in the lounge there is lower risk of my stuff getting pinched and higher risk to the perp of getting noticed. Additionally, QF know who has entered the Flounge so that should narrow the list of suspects down somewhat should something go astray.)

Maybe I am paranoid, but it has served me well to date - despite being inconvenient at times.

 

[markis10]

For the record the laptop was a Toshiba R200 ultra portable (and now classed by me as ultra stealable), I was in the business centre in Mel and left it for 5 minutes to get a bite to eat and a drink, during which time it walked. It was located underneath a camera (that is not turned on apparently) and the CSO told me that the week before a PC was stolen (screen and base unit) from the same location.

At the time I was on WIFI and linked to the office, I checked with work and the PC stayed linked for 28 minutes after its theft which indicates to me that it was still in the area for that time. I have a feeling that it may not have been a patron but I really have no idea, the fact it was on and connected for 28 minutes without being visible makes me wonder, that and hte fact its very hard to put a PC and screen into your carry on :shock:

 

[Mal]

For me, I have always felt uneasy leaving my stuff unattended. If I am in the QP business centre and I need to leave (for a drink or a bio-break, I lock my laptop to the chair with a security cable (or I take my stuff with me). If I am in the lounge area, I never leave the laptop out when I need to go to the bar or food areas although I will leave my backpack with the laptop in it unattended, but only if I can keep an eye on my stuff while getting food/drink. I (pretty much) always take my stuff to the toilets with me. The problem with taking everything with you is that by the time you get back, sometimes you cant get a seat anymore.

This is pretty much identical to what I do, although if my luggage is locked I'm not worried too much about leaving it out while I'm gone quickly.