It is a shame how Malta International Airport has come to terms with the rampant theft that exists of and from the luggage of passengers travelling out of Malta. Needless are the complaints of the individuals claiming to have had their luggage pilfered. It is rather odd how in this day and age of technology, and the thousands of liri spent on security, they have not yet dealt with the big problem of theft from (as well as of) suitcases. Last Sunday a whole family from Saudi Arabia was going back home on an Emirates flight and they had all their passports and their laptop stolen from the pavement in front of the MIA Departures Lounge. The theft took place in a split second, when they went to get a trolley from inside the airport. Lo and behold, none of the taxi drivers saw anything and the airport security informed these people that security cameras do not cover the pavement before the departures. Needless to say, the father, parent and the children of this Saudi family were stranded in Malta. They missed their flight, and it was only thanks to the good service at the Passport Office and the generosity of the Maltese people they were able to fly back home the day after. Items were also stolen from my own luggage: and when I reported the theft, I was scolded for leaving certain things in the luggage, instead of placing them in my handbag. The MIA takes these incidents as if they are the norm and not the exception: they have embraced the fact that theft from luggage exists and that it is the people who are stupid to leave their luggage unlocked or unattended while they grab a trolley. Numerous complaints have inundated MIA so far about theft from luggage, but it seems they do not lift a finger to order searches on airport personnel. They know that a racket is going on, that theft from luggage and theft of luggage is very well organised at the airport and they do not know how to break this criminal organisation. They make no effort to check who was on duty when the theft occurred; they make no effort to place under surveillance all the personnel who handle luggage. They make no effort at all. Instead, they make us go here and there to file reports and endless declarations. They pass the buck to the police stationed at the airport and they seem to believe that their responsibility stops there. MIA ought to know that the handling of luggage falls within its remit and the passengers pay airport charges to get a good service. Why should I spend LM2 or more to cover my luggage with plastic, so that it will not be plundered by MIA employees? At Luqa there are two companies responsible for the handling of luggage: Air Malta and a private company. Other airlines contract either of these two for the handling of their clients’ luggage. However, this does not mean that the overall responsibility for the handling of luggage does not fall under MIA. Our airport is not O’Hare in Chicago: its confines can be controlled, and I cannot fathom why MIA does not introduce surveillance from check-in until the luggage is loaded on the aircraft. Neither do I understand why MIA does not install security cameras in all the compounds of the airport? Why is the entrance to our airport not covered with security cameras? Whose brilliant idea was it that the area outside Departures does not have security cameras? Is the attempted terrorist attack in Glasgow not good enough reason to have these security cameras installed all over the airport? Or are we waiting for something terrible to happen before we can roll up our sleeves and start working on a professional security plan for our international airport? On another note, security is also needed in the drinking water that used for making tea and coffee during flights. Last time I happened to see one of these “bowsers” with the words “Drinking Water” written on it. But when I enquired I was told that this drinking water is pumped from a reservoir or a well and many had doubts as to the condition of this reservoir or well. We will all appreciate if the Superintendent of Public Health will assure us that that water is drinking water and if it is only meant for boiling, than they should scrap the wording on the bowser. Everybody takes the quality of this water for granted. I cannot understand why the health superintendent does not make it a point that any drinking water that is transported on the planes is to be supplied with a certificate ensuring that the water supplied is in fact fit for drinking. Arguing that such water is only used for teas or coffees is irrelevant: even water for teas and coffees have to pass the criteria of drinking water. Just as it is the job of the health inspectors to go on board any airplane to check if the personnel is registered as food handlers and if food is kept in a clean environment, they also ought to make sure that the water supplied on the planes is in fact suitable for drinking. May I suggest that they ought not to go when the plane is full of passengers because this does not augur well for the tourism industry in Malta. Such inspections can be carried out discreetly and when no passengers are on board. MIA is run by Austrians, who have a deserved reputation as a serious and reliable people. Why this Austrian spirit is lacking at MIA is something that I cannot explain. Can MIA take theft from our airport more seriously, please?