Luggage security

We reiterate that pilfering from luggage is a problem faced by all airports and, contrary to what Ms Hopkins ("Luggage security", August 5) claims, it may have occurred at MIA as much as at the airport of origin/destination.

Very often, there is nothing to prove where the pilferage has occurred unless the passenger is asked to identify his/her luggage prior to it being boarded onto the aircraft.

Even then, luggage may be pilfered while it is being loaded or offloaded from the belly of the aircraft.

It would have been of great help for us had Ms Hopkins immediately reported the incident of alleged thefts from her luggage, or at least referred to the date and flight number in her letter for us to investigate the case.

Ms Hopkins is all the more incorrect to imply that it is 'easy' to interfere with luggage.

I assure her that access to sensitive areas is restricted. And due to security systems that are in place it is not as 'easy' as Ms Hopkins claims for a criminal to tamper with luggage. One has to bear in mind that airports handle millions of pieces of luggage and theft complaints in Malta, as much as at other international airports, are minimal compared to the volume of luggage handled.

Similar sweeping comments are unwarranted and are considered as serious allegations, even more so if they cannot be substantiated.

In this respect, if Ms Hopkins is sure that the alleged theft occurred in Malta, we invite her to give us all the relevant details to forward them to the competent authorities and investigate the case.