SINGAPORE- A senior flight attendant of Scoot (TR) stole nearly SG$40,000 (approx. US$31,000) from inflight food and beverage sales over 21 months, Singapore courts have heard.

The offences occurred across hundreds of flights operating through Singapore Changi Airport (SIN).

The case details a prolonged abuse of trust involving onboard cash handling, supervisory oversight, and delayed detection.

According to The Straits Times, the matter underscores the risks airlines face when cash payments remain part of inflight sales operations.

Scoot Flight Attendant Stole $40,000

Scoot employed Luqman Hakim Shahfawi, 31, as a senior flight attendant, and he also held the additional role of complex leader at the time of the offences.

As a complex leader, he supervised other flight attendants and consolidated payments collected from the sale of food and beverages onboard flights.

Passengers purchasing inflight items could pay with either cash or a card. Flight attendants placed the cash collected during flights into secured “Brinks bags” designed specifically to hold and transport money.

At the end of each flight, the complex leader had to tally the items sold, reconcile sales returns, and record the transactions in Scoot’s internal software system.

After completing these checks, the Brinks bags containing cash proceeds were to be deposited into a secure safe at Scoot’s office within 48 hours of the flight.

Court documents revealed that in early 2023, Luqman lost two Brinks bags containing cash proceeds from passengers who had purchased food and drinks onboard.

Fearing that his supervisors would discover the loss and terminate his employment, he chose not to report the missing bags.

In the months that followed, no inquiry or confrontation occurred regarding the missing cash. Luqman interpreted the lack of follow-up as a sign that Scoot was not closely monitoring whether staff properly deposited cash from inflight sales.

Escalation Into Repeated Misappropriation

Following the initial loss and absence of scrutiny, Luqman began deliberately retaining the Brinks bags and their cash contents after subsequent flights. Instead of depositing the proceeds as required, he kept the money for himself.

Between July 2023 and March 2025, Luqman misappropriated cash from inflight sales on 366 separate occasions.

On 156 occasions between July 2023 and March 2024, he pocketed nearly SG$18,000. He committed similar offences involving more than SG$22,000 on a further 210 occasions between April 2024 and March 2025.

Investigations later revealed that the stolen funds were primarily used to repay debts owed to unlicensed moneylenders.

Legal Charges and Court Findings

Luqman pleaded guilty to one count of criminal breach of trust involving more than SG$22,000. A second similar charge relating to the remaining nearly SG$18,000 will be taken into consideration during sentencing.

Under Singapore law, criminal breach of trust carries a maximum penalty of up to seven years’ imprisonment.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Janessa Phua told the court that Luqman’s supervisory position gave him direct control over cash reconciliation, record-keeping, and deposit procedures, allowing the offences to continue undetected over an extended period.

Court documents did not disclose what prompted Luqman to eventually confess. He admitted his actions to Scoot’s management on March 20, 2025, after which a company representative alerted the police. Authorities arrested Luqman the following day.

His mitigation and sentencing hearing will take place on February 3.

Scoot confirmed that Luqman no longer works for the airline. In response to media queries, a spokesperson said the carrier was unable to comment on specific human resource matters involving current or former staff, as well as legal matters that are before the courts.

Despite the scale and duration of the misconduct, Scoot continues to accept cash payments onboard its flights.

The case highlights the operational risks associated with cash-based inflight transactions and the importance of robust internal controls, timely audits, and effective oversight in airline cabin operations.

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