Suvarnabhumi denies online claim of luggage search

Suvarnabhumi airport has said it has not found any evidence that its staff opened and searched a passenger’s luggage, responding to a Thai travel blogger who claimed online that her belongings had been rummaged through.

In a statement on Wednesday, airport management said baggage inspections under a new policy allowing unsupervised searches are only conducted in response to security concerns.

The clarification came after the owner of the Facebook page “Benz pa pai Journey”, known as Benz, posted a complaint on Monday, saying she had found signs that her luggage had been opened and searched.

In a video accompanying the post, she said no items appeared to be missing, but the contents of her suitcase had been disturbed. A bag containing underwear had also been taken out and not properly returned, raising concerns about the handling of personal items related to hygiene, she said.

The post questioned whether the incident was linked to the new regulation allowing baggage inspections without passengers being present, which took effect on Oct 16.

The passenger travelled on Hainan Airlines flight HU424 from Bangkok to Chongqing, China, on Monday.

She said she understood that the rules permitted searches when scanners detected suspicious items. However, she claimed that the luggage of other Thai passengers on the same flight had also been opened, and none of them had seen a written notice placed inside their bags.

Her post drew numerous shares and comments, prompting Suvarnabhumi’s public relations team to request further details for an investigation.

On Wednesday, the airport said it had reviewed baggage screening system data, operational records and relevant CCTV footage and found that the luggage had passed through the airport’s security system, which detected no prohibited items or objects posing a threat to aircraft.

“As a result, no additional inspection was required, and the bag was transported automatically to the baggage make-up area under normal procedures,” it said. “The investigation found no evidence that airport staff had opened the luggage.”

The airport added that baggage handling, sorting and transfer were the responsibility of airlines and their contracted ground handlers.

It advised the complainant to contact her airline if she wished to pursue the matter. The passenger could also file a police report to prompt further inquiry, it said.

The new regulations on checked baggage inspections were issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT).

Suvarnabhumi said it had measures in place to supervise such inspections, including recording video footage for subsequent review. A notice of baggage inspection would also be placed inside any bag that has been opened, it said.

The airport urged passengers to check their luggage before travelling, comply with restrictions on items prohibited in checked baggage and keep valuables, important documents and essential items in their carry-on luggage in accordance with airline requirements.

It also advised passengers to use appropriate baggage locks that comply with relevant regulations, adding that it would continue to coordinate with relevant agencies to ensure complaints were investigated transparently and fairly.