Here's why your pristine Samsonite bag arrived at the baggage claim a little banged up the last time you passed through Vancouver -- this handler was either having a bad day, or he really dislikes his job. Regardless, he's taking it out on the bags, tossing them around carelessly. Hope you didn't pack anything fragile!
Reader Comments (Page 11 of 28)
151. Be fair! Most were just tosses, as you would do yourself if you had to unload a truck. Some, though, were unnecessarily rough. You can't expect them to carry each bag over and place it on the belt. I do think he was rougher with the lighter bags, which is just stupid.
Posted at 12:58PM on Feb 9th 2008 by Katherine Tomsich
152. I have worked for two airlines as a baggage handler and i can personally tell you they dont give a shit about your stuff thell throw it stomp it whatever they want and even the supervisors do it to so dont be surpised if your things are messed up...all i can say is never send anything marked fragile!!!!
Posted at 1:06PM on Feb 9th 2008 by jenn
153. There is nothing new about this type of activity. I usually get a window seat on the plane and have frequently observed the handlers throwing the luggage around. Maybe it's my imagination, but it seems if you apply "fragile" labels on anything, they will just throw it harder. Perhaps the employers should require psychological checks on these people before they're hired. It's fairly obvious they bear grudges against the public at large.
Posted at 1:07PM on Feb 9th 2008 by Theresa
154. No matter how heavy or how far, they always throw them.
Posted at 1:19PM on Feb 9th 2008 by Kent
155. Orlando Fred is a baggage handler!
Posted at 1:20PM on Feb 9th 2008 by Jer
156. Serves you idiots that fly right!!! Maybe if the airlines paid a little more,he'd have a better attitude!! I dont think there should even be air travel,..what a waste of fuel and great source of pollution!!! Not to mention a target for terrorists!! If you dont like it, Ride the dam bus!!!
Posted at 1:22PM on Feb 9th 2008 by Tony
157. Gee, this guy is working 8 hours every day unloading heavy pieces of lugggage.......just what do you expect him to do? Gently place each piece down on the conveyor belt?? GET A LIFE. In fact, it looked like he was at least trying to unload the lighter pieces first since he was obviously trying to sort out pieces from the container before throwing them on the conveyor belt.
Posted at 1:26PM on Feb 9th 2008 by Louise
158. Pleseeeeeee this is just normal everyday handling of loading and unloading any large load of goods. To a baggage handler your precious luggage is nothing more then another sack of potatos that needs to be tossed from point a to point b. This handler was doing exactly what he was trained to do. Move the bags and keep them grouped together.
When I pack up the car going on a trip I wouldn't put a dozen eggs in the suitcase. So why would I put something breakable that I value in a bag that is not going to stay with me. Use some common sense. Besides most people overpack no matter how long they are going to stay.
When traveling I always pack a nylon carryon type bag in my suitcase to carry home the breakables and extras bought on the trip so they won't be handled by
airlines and possibly broken or lost.
Posted at 1:27PM on Feb 9th 2008 by Teresa
159. I've been traveling the world for about 20 years now. The only time I had a piece of luggaged damaged was when I forced a garment bag into an overhead - one of the tabs for the strap popped a couple of seams(on a 20 year old bag). Don't buy expensive baggage - it makes no sense. I have never seen anyone ever actually check baggage tags at pickup. There is absolutely nothing from keeping anyone from walking away with any bag. Buy good quality soft luggage, don't jam crap into it until it's bursting at the seams and weighs 90lbs. And never pack anything that's breakable. If you need to bring something breakable make sure it's carry on. Sure they guy was tossing the bags onto the belt a little too hard. If I was his supervisor I would say take it easy. Didn't see anything extreme - you people are overeacting. Oh yeah, some one probably recorded all that from a gate or jet way with a phone or compact cam.
Posted at 1:33PM on Feb 9th 2008 by David427
160. I don't see him doing anything wrong. I've actually worked as a baggage handler before, and NO ONE places baggage onto conveyor belts. Bags are thrown onto them. Baggage handlers aren't being malicious, they're just under time constraints and don't have time to pick up every single 70-80lb bag and carefully place it on the belt. If you don't want fragile stuff broken, then don't check it. Carry it on. That's just common sense.
Posted at 1:33PM on Feb 9th 2008 by dont see problem
161. So what!!!! He tosses the luggage and this is an issue? Is he supposed to set it down like each piece is full of china? Any one of these pieces of luggage could be at the bottom of 10 other suit cases. That would do more damage than anything I saw this guy doing. If the airlines could just make sure people get their luggage, now that would be something that we should see on a video!
Posted at 1:34PM on Feb 9th 2008 by Curt
162. Oh come on people...............you obviously haven't had to do an honest days labor, heavy physical labor. These people work 8 or more hours per day throwing YOUR heavy, sometimes poorly packed luggage.....do you think they have the TIME TO GENTLY PLACE EACH PIECE THE CONVEYOR BELT? If so, then expect to wait twice as long for yourbaggage. After working on the US Post Ofice, I can tell you that he was average in the amount of force used. If your ittems are so fragile, then you need to carry them, or ship them. Thats it.
Posted at 1:35PM on Feb 9th 2008 by Louise
163. Hey,that was absoolutely NOTHING, compared to the way our luggage was handled in Saskatoon a few years ago!
We had just pulled up at the gate and were wainting to debark. While we were sitting there, my son noticed the baggage handler offload our gun case. (We were in Saskatchewan for the hunting trip we had dreamed about!) As we sat there and watched helplessly, this guy picks up our metal case and throw it 20 feet through the air into the open bed of a pick up truck, where it bounced around a few times on the metal bed before coming to rest!
I was livid and reported it to the Captain as we deplaned. He said, "Gee, we're sorry about that" and turned back to the stewardess who he was trying to pick up.
When we got to the Lodge where we were staying we went to the range to shoot the guns in. My rifle had been damaged and was so badly out of alignment that it was unuseable. Fortunately, we were able to use my son's and had a good trip anyway.
I guess he also didn't like his job or didn't want Americans coming to Canada. I'd just like to find this jerk!
Posted at 1:37PM on Feb 9th 2008 by Craig
164. ***************
Ring, Ring, Wake call folks
***************
Oh, man, tell me you didn't actually write that.
Posted at 1:37PM on Feb 9th 2008 by Al agran
165.
I used to fly a couple times a year and I NEVER had anything missing or damaged
Posted at 1:38PM on Feb 9th 2008 by Rick