PARIS—You are on your way back from a long and tiring business trip, settling in to your business class seat on an Air France Flight, enjoying some champagne and delicious French food before dozing off. When you wake up, you discover that your cash, credit cards, or $5,000 wristwatch has disappeared.
This is what happened to Air France business class passengers unfortunate enough to board a flight attended by Lucie R., a 47-year-old stewardess who robbed passengers at high altitude to solve her own money problems.
According to French newspaper, Le Figaro, the flight attendant was mostly active on flights between Paris and Tokyo and largely targeted Japanese passengers—known for carrying large amounts of cash with them.
Lucie R., as she is identified by French police, was arrested on the runway at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport after arriving from Tokyo on July 16. She has been charged with 26 counts of theft, including stealing credit cards, cash, and jewelry and blank checks. She confessed to the 26 thefts, citing money problems as the reason.
French police started an investigation in January, after five passengers complained of losing 4,000 euros (US $5150). In total, 142 passengers reported having possessions stolen since January.
“This indelicate employee was identified step-by-step when we matched the listings of flight attendants on flights where things were stole,” an unnamed French police officer told Le Figaro.
The officer said that the flight attendant’s bank account showed “an incredible gap between her way of life and her declared revenues.”
The revelations come as a shock to the profession that normally sees itself as exempt from such problems.
French media reports that victims will have to obtain compensation from their insurance companies, as Air France’s coverage is limited to checked-in luggage.
This is what happened to Air France business class passengers unfortunate enough to board a flight attended by Lucie R., a 47-year-old stewardess who robbed passengers at high altitude to solve her own money problems.
According to French newspaper, Le Figaro, the flight attendant was mostly active on flights between Paris and Tokyo and largely targeted Japanese passengers—known for carrying large amounts of cash with them.
Lucie R., as she is identified by French police, was arrested on the runway at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport after arriving from Tokyo on July 16. She has been charged with 26 counts of theft, including stealing credit cards, cash, and jewelry and blank checks. She confessed to the 26 thefts, citing money problems as the reason.
French police started an investigation in January, after five passengers complained of losing 4,000 euros (US $5150). In total, 142 passengers reported having possessions stolen since January.
“This indelicate employee was identified step-by-step when we matched the listings of flight attendants on flights where things were stole,” an unnamed French police officer told Le Figaro.
The officer said that the flight attendant’s bank account showed “an incredible gap between her way of life and her declared revenues.”
The revelations come as a shock to the profession that normally sees itself as exempt from such problems.
French media reports that victims will have to obtain compensation from their insurance companies, as Air France’s coverage is limited to checked-in luggage.
