HONG KONG- Etihad Airways (EY) flights from Abu Dhabi (AUH) to Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) have seen repeated reports of passengers having valuables stolen from overhead bins.
Multiple incidents involving Etihad Airways passengers arriving at Hong Kong International Airport have resulted in police boarding the aircraft on arrival and detaining suspects for investigation.
Etihad Passenger Steals Diamond
On December 26, 2025, a foreign passenger onboard the Etihad flight EY870 from Abu Dhabi to Hong Kong reported that a diamond was lost. Following this, Hong Kong police boarded the flight and arrested the suspect for questioning.
Reports from November onwards describe consistent patterns. In one case, a passenger woke to find her bag being handled and several credit cards removed. Cabin crew alerted police, who detained a mainland Chinese passenger upon arrival in Hong Kong. The suspect was later reported to be a truck driver visiting the city.
Two weeks ago, another flight on the same route saw several passengers affected. One traveler reported losing two bank cards and later learned that another passenger had a luxury watch worth an estimated 150,000 US dollars taken from a bag stored in the overhead bin. The traveler described suspicious seat movements and frequent aisle activity nearby, suggesting possible coordinated action involving multiple individuals.
Authorities in Hong Kong also arrested three passengers in July in connection with similar thefts on arriving flights from Abu Dhabi, ViewfromtheWing flagged.
Overhead bin theft is not unique to one airline or route, but repeated incidents on services between Abu Dhabi and Hong Kong have drawn attention due to the frequency of reported cases.
The dark cabin environment on overnight flights can create opportunities for criminal activity when passengers are asleep, and bags are unsecured.
Similar Incident and Major Consequences
A Chinese passenger attempting to steal valuables worth more than S$100,000 from a fellow traveller in Business Class onboard Singapore Airlines (SQ) received a 20-month jail term. The incident took place on flight SQ495 operated by Singapore Airlines from Dubai (DXB) to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN).
Court findings confirmed that the suspect acted under instructions from a criminal syndicate, highlighting serious security risks to passengers and airline operations. The attempted theft targeted a Business Class passenger during the long-haul journey and was first reported by CNA.
Organised Theft Targeting Premium Airline Cabins
The offender, 26-year-old Chinese national Liu Ming, pleaded guilty to one charge of theft and was sentenced on December 23. He boarded the aircraft in Dubai and sat several rows behind the victim, a 52-year-old Azerbaijani passenger, while the victim’s wife sat one row in front of Liu. Both parties were unknown to each other.
Prosecutors established that Liu boarded the flight intending to steal from Business Class passengers. His travel expenses were funded by a criminal syndicate that directed his actions.
After the dinner service ended and cabin lights dimmed, Liu removed the victim’s bag from the overhead compartment and carried it back to his seat. The victim’s wife noticed the movement and immediately confronted him, alerting the cabin crew.
Cabin crew checked the bag and found no missing items, but the contents were valued at more than S$100,000. The items included cash, luxury watches from Chopard and Audemars Piguet, a Huawei laptop, and premium cigars. Ground staff were notified, and Liu was arrested upon arrival in Singapore.
Investigation Findings
During investigations, Liu denied intending to steal from the victim and claimed he had mistaken the bag for his own. Investigators determined the explanation to be false because the bags were visibly different and Liu’s luggage remained above his own seat.
The Deputy Public Prosecutor stated that inflight theft poses significant risks to aviation security and public confidence. He also noted that passengers cannot constantly monitor their belongings, making detection difficult during flights.
The court agreed that the offence warranted a deterrent sentence and imposed 20 months’ imprisonment. Similar inflight theft incidents had already occurred earlier in the year.
Under Singapore law, theft carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison, a fine, or both. The court stated that repeated offences onboard the national carrier could damage the airline’s reputation and impact the wider tourism sector.
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