Luggage insecurity at Cameroon airport

Air travel is mankind’s most successful invention to span the globe. It is safe, fast, comfortable and convenient. But it can become a nightmare if at destination the passenger’s luggage does not become available.

By Yemti Harry Ndienla

London Heath row's new terminal 5 when recently launched, developed major problems of luggage tracing. The passenger would arrive but not his luggage, and if it arrived it would not be available until hours later. For such an ultra-modern airport terminal that was a scandal.
But the problem was neither theft nor violation of luggage. The Herald Newspaper, recently reported on the alarming rate of luggage theft at the airport of Cameroon's economic capital of Douala.“In Douala the new menace is theft of luggage or forceful opening of luggage and theft of its contents”. Although some may be doubting those behind this crime, notes the same source, “this is done by baggage handlers, that is those who unload it from the aircraft and transfer it to the baggage hall for the passenger to recover it”.
Many passengers who traveled to Cameroon through Douala international airport, have had their shock after finding out that their luggages had been broken into and valuable items like mobile phones, laptop computers, cloths, shoes,etc all taken away.
The fate of a woman,Tabe Claudia, who experienced the act recently was common. Douala bound passengers had complaint of theft several times, and it was not just the activity of the poor baggage handlers but also because some senior men of the airport were involved in this act that has brought the Douala international airport into disrepute. The report concludes: “Douala is now rated the most insecure in Africa.”
Reason why authorities should act quickly to check this evil and call a halt to it. Meaning, security and appropriate airport officials should be present as baggage are unloaded from the aircraft until they are transferred to the baggage hall for the passenger to collect it.