Cheeky airport tactic that caught out ‘savvy’ traveller
Updated . First published
Every week, nine.com.au Travel shares a top travel tip from our readers or something our writers find. Have something to share? Email us at travel@nine.com.au for a chance to be featured in an upcoming story.
I consider myself a very savvy traveller. I do everything I can to avoid being scammed, from never using ATMs overseas, to only using verified transport apps like Uber.
The O R Tambo international airport main hall in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa iStock
But I was caught out by a simple con recently. My husband and I were in Johannesburg Airport in South Africa, heading on a domestic flight to a safari destination near Kruger National Park.
We paused, just for a moment, near the departures board to try and figure out where to go to drop our bags.
Immediately, a man in an orange shirt with an identity tag came up to us. He started tapping what appeared to be one of those check-in booths, in front of us.
“’Where are you going? Skukuza?” he asked. Without even thinking we told him yes, we were.
“Okay, this way,” he said, grabbing our suitcase and other bags and walking around the corner to the airline desk.
He set down the luggage... and asked my husband for a tip.
He was not an airline employee as we’d quickly assumed. Instead, he was a porter. Common in some airports around the world. And they work on tips.
The only problem was, we were out of Rand.
Airport departure board istock
Luckily, my husband realised he had some American dollars stuffed in the pocket of his duffle bag. He carefully peeled off a $10 note and handed it over.
“Twenty would be better” the bloke said.
We gave it to him. I did fear we’d otherwise be marched to a (dodgy) airport ATM if we didn’t.
In truth, I didn’t really mind. But then, I googled it.
While the porters are official, OR Tambo Airport said they should be given 20 rand per bag, according to a social media post.
That’s just under $2.
This bloke had scored 15 times that. We could only laugh, really.
(The airport also warns travellers against people posing as porters – some travellers around the world report having luggage stolen by criminals pretending to work for airports.)
Be vigilant around airport workers. Facebook
In the end, it didn’t really make any difference to us.
But, next time you’re at an unfamiliar airport, just be aware of anyone trying to help – it could cost you.
