Hanoi baggage handlers may soon be required to wear body cameras in an effort to curb theft at Noi Bai International Airport.
Following a recent spate of passenger complaints regarding missing property, not to mention the arrest of a baggage supervisor who had managed to earn over VND176 million by looting travelers' suitcases, the Northern Airport Authority has taken aggressive steps to stop airport theft.
Earlier this month, officials took their efforts one step further by recommending that all baggage handlers wear body cameras as a way of holding employees accountable for any missing items, reports VnExpress.
Director of the Northern Airport Authority Tran Hoai Phuong told the news outlet that authorities had performed impromptu searches on over 300 handlers during the third quarter of this year and uncovered 24 individual violations, including theft of passenger property.
While the surprise inspections have helped to curb such behavior, authorities believe it's not enough. Body cameras, they argue, would help to provide the airport with a means of monitoring employee behavior while still complying with aviation safety regulations.
“There are airlines that do not permit us to attach cameras to the aircraft container due to aviation security concerns,” Phuong told VnExpress. “However, in such places we could require workers to wear a camera on their hats or helmets.”
While officials mull solutions for this issue, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has ordered companies to closely monitor baggage handlers. Those who do not keep tabs on their employees will have their license revoked and no longer be permitted to operate at Noi Bai.
