On 11 December 2025, I travelled on Etihad flight EY870 from Abu Dhabi to Hong Kong, during which there was a serious theft incident affecting several other passengers. While most people were sleeping, a member of the cabin crew noticed a passenger acting suspiciously around row 38. It was then discovered that he had stolen from a woman, and the police met the aircraft on arrival in Hong Kong, where he was arrested. Before disembarkation, we were all asked to check our belongings, and I realised that 2 of my 6 cards had been stolen from my bag in the overhead compartment. When I spoke with the police afterwards, they found one of my cards, but I was still left without full access to my own cards while travelling. I later learned that one of the other affected passengers lost a watch worth around $150,000. From the pattern of bags that were tampered with, and from what I personally experienced in my own row, I strongly believe there were 5 or 6 people operating together on this flight. The man seated behind me in 32C kept pushing on my seat, which I now understand was likely to normalise that sensation for me while his friend in 32B moved in and out throughout the night. I am normally very vigilant, but I was extremely tired, and this was the first time I left my passport and wallet in the overhead compartment, which I now deeply regret. Beyond the financial risk, this situation caused me significant stress and inconvenience. I lost around two hours dealing with the immediate aftermath, and I remained very stressed for around four days afterwards, all while travelling and trying to manage without proper access to my cards. When I later contacted Etihad customer service, the response was extremely disappointing. I was essentially told to go to the local authorities, and there was no sign of genuine interest, responsibility, or concern about what had happened to multiple passengers on this flight. I find this attitude unacceptable, given the seriousness of the incident and the clear security failure on board. I am requesting that Etihad take this matter seriously, conduct a thorough investigation into what happened on EY870 on 11 December 2025, and implement stronger in‑flight security measures to prevent organised theft on board. In addition, I am explicitly requesting fair compensation for the stress, worry, time lost, and the ongoing inconveniences I have suffered as a result of not having full access to my cards while travelling.
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