Touting Menace at Changi Airport

Singapore. Of late, businessman James Nair gets irritated when he is at the airport: He is often accosted by touts. The 45-year-old, who flies between Singapore and India about three times a month, said touts have approached him on several occasions.

They look out for people who travel light and ask them to take on some luggage as theirs. Payment is offered.

“It’s not a nice thing to see, especially in our posh airport. And it’s a problem that’s been getting worse recently,” the Singaporean said.

When The Sunday Times visited Changi Airport last week, the luggage touts were seen plying their trade despite enforcement efforts.

They appeared to be smooth operators. In groups of five or more, the mostly male touts in their 30s and 40s scan the check-in lanes for flights to places like Chennai, Sri Lanka and Yangon.

They will approach passengers with light baggage and offer cash, between $5 and $10 per kilogram, to check in bulky items as their own.

Once a deal is made, the touts call in a driver, who pulls up his delivery truck along the road in front of the departure hall and unloads electronic goods such as large-screen TVs and computers.

The touts then accompany the passenger as he queues to check in, and hands over the payment once the luggage has gone through.

Sometimes, payment is made only when the goods are secure at their destination.

Foreign worker Raj Rajan, 29, found it was a way to make a fast buck. He accepted a 20 kg TV set and was paid about $150 when he was cleared for his flight.

Asked if he was worried that the large box he was made to check through may contain contraband, he said the immediate benefits outweighed the danger as he needed the money.

He changed his tune when a tout interrupted the interview. “Sorry, I’m carrying this for my uncle,” he now said.

Another outbound traveler, importer Aung Soe, 35, said he was approached twice this year but had always told off the touts.

“I want to have a peaceful flight and not be worried about what the boxes might hold. I could be in deep trouble if it were drugs or something else as bad,” he said.

Attempts to speak to the touts were met with outright rejections. “I’m just here to help a friend,” said one.

Nair observed that the touts, besides preying on such passengers, also approached those carrying too much luggage and offered to bring their items across for about $12 a kg. Airlines typically charge around $15 per kg for excess baggage for these flights.

A Changi Airport Group spokesman said it is aware of the goings-on, and said the airport auxiliary police (Cisco) conducts anti-touting patrols regularly at the terminals.

People found offering baggage-pooling deals are issued stern warnings. Repeat offenders are handed over to the police for investigation, he said.

In this year alone, five offenders have been issued with warning letters, and four were handed to the police.

The spokesman added: “The airport remains vigilant and is working closely with the relevant agencies to monitor such activities. We remind travelers to refrain from accepting items from other travelers in their baggage as these may be contraband items.”

Although carrying someone else’s luggage is not illegal, people caught touting in public places may be fined $1,000 to $5,000 and/or be jailed up to six months.

Reprinted courtesy of Straits Times Indonesia. To subscribe to Straits Times Indonesia and/or the Jakarta Globe call 021 2553 5055.