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 13 of 28)
181. Glad to see others find his behavior not that unusual. I never expected a baggage handler to pick my luggage up carefully and place it on the belt gently. He's tossing them not throwing them around maliciously or bashing the bags into anything. This seems an odd video to use as an example of mishandling. Bet there are lots of others to be found that are far worse.
Posted at 2:18PM on Feb 9th 2008 by Deb
182. I use to handle bags for an ariline and when you have hundreds of bags that are overweight, well shit happens. Don't buy hard sided luggage or expensive luggage, buy your bags from k-mart or something. Trust me its less likely to get busted up. Wheels and handles on the rolling bags are not covered and if you get a tear in the pocket of any bag thats not covered either, this goes for all airlines. Many times bags get stuck on the bag belt and thats how they get busted up, its not always a ramp agents fault.
Posted at 2:25PM on Feb 9th 2008 by BP
183. THIS IS HOW YOUR AIRLINE BAG ARE USUALLY HANDLED WHAT THE BIG DEAL... THAT'S WHY MOST GOOD COMPANY NOW MAKE THEIR LUGGAGE OUT OF THE NEWIER STRONGER MATERIALS. ALSO YOU HAVE TO SPEND SOME MONEY TO BUY A GOOD BAG THAT FLEA MARKET STUFF I SEE NOW I SEE PEOPLE CARRYING NOW WILL NOT LAST MORE THAN ONE OR TWO TRIP. MY ADVICE TO PEOPLE IS TO SPEND SOME MONEY IF YOU TRAVEL OR PLAN TO TRAVEL A LOT VIA THE AIRLINE IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT IS BREAKABLE DON'T PACK IT IN YOUR LUGGAGE BUT IN YOUR CARRY ON BECAUSE THIS IS AND WILL ALWAYS BE HOW YOUR LUGGAGE WILL GET HANDLED... ALSO IN REGARDS TO THE CLIP I'VE SEEN WORST BELIEVE ME THIS IS NOTHING COMPARED TO SOME OF THE OVERSEA'S AIRPORT BAGGAGE HANDLING.
Posted at 2:28PM on Feb 9th 2008 by FAT CAT
184. i work installing conveyor in airports what this guy is doing is nothing compared to what ive seen done to bags. Pack carefully
Posted at 2:31PM on Feb 9th 2008 by p
185. If you think this is bad, go on a cruies and watch them throw all the luggage on the ship and then handle it off...don't take anything nice or it will be ruined when you return
Posted at 2:40PM on Feb 9th 2008 by Martha
186. He needs to be fired. I just took a trip 3 weeks ago to Chicago from Charlotte NC and my big piece of expensive luggage was damaged and the top handle was ripped off. I was pissed off, but what could I do. I had a glass bowl that was packed really good and it was broken also in the suitcase. Fire his ass!!!
Posted at 2:43PM on Feb 9th 2008 by Kimberly Garland
187. I SUGGEST THAT THEY SET A BAGGAGE MONITOR MACHINE AS YOU CHECKING IN TO THE CHECK -IN COUNTER SO YOU CAN LOCK YOUR LAGGAGE. IT'S NOT ONLY THAT THE LAGGAGE HANDLER ARE MISTEATING YOUR LAGGAGE THEY ALSO CAN ACCESS IN IT AS IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING AL OVER . THAT'S MY RECOMENDATION TO ASECURITY SCANNER AT THE CHECK-IN COUNTER WHERE YOU CHECK-IN YOUR LAGGAGE
Posted at 2:44PM on Feb 9th 2008 by SAM
188. Let me guess,,, baggage handler is an illegal alien ,
Posted at 2:45PM on Feb 9th 2008 by Betty
189. If you honestly believe that your luggage is going to be gently taken care of (200 piece of luggage in 20 minutes moved from the service counter, to the bag room to be sorted, stacked on open carts with 40+ bags per cart, driven through the beating sun/rain/snow to the plane, take a ride up an inclining belt-loader, loaded into a 3-4ft high bin) by a person being paid $7-9/hr, you must be smoking some serious crack. There is a reason that luggage makers like Samsonite charge more... they can handle the abuse of a quick turnaround better than your cheap Sam's club special 7-pack of luggage. And as an added piece of advice, I wouldn't be placing that giant luggage on your bed to pack it (or un-pack it). Think of all that it has be drug through (airport oil/gas spills, the never-been-cleaned belts on carousels/belt-loaders/sorting stations, the garage getting to your car). Do you really want to sleep with all of that? But maybe you deserve to after thinking "baggage boys" should treat your luggage better after you jam all 50 lbs in it, not properly wrapping (or hand carrying) your valuables. Just my opinion :)
Posted at 3:01PM on Feb 9th 2008 by Paulie
190. Watching someone else do this is easy but unless you've worked it, you don't know how hard it is. It's a hard job. I've never seen a woman work it.
I see one person unloading the wagon. The area is probably noisy and has a lot of jet fumes not to mention being hot or cold, depending of the time of year. Passengers by the carousel are eargerly waiting for their bags so that they can go their merry way. If each bag is carefully and daintily pulled out from top to bottom it would take three times as long. Those of you who've picked up others' bags know that their's can be extremely heavy not to mention big. The bags that are taken into the cabin are sometimes too large to fit into the storage already. He is unloading the ones that mostly are larger than those. I think most people who'd try the job would quit after a day or week especially if they have to handle those large heavy (50+ lbs) luggage/boxes/crates going to foreign destinations. It takes a lot of stamina. Jumbo jets takes on much more cargo than what little you see here. Your bag maybe under a large pile of other bags that have been sent down the ramp after you've checked your's. No one has time or manpower to neatly rearrange the cargo afterwards. I've handled a few and I'd say he's earning his salary.
Posted at 3:08PM on Feb 9th 2008 by Allen
191. This is called strategic placement!!! Don't you want your bags quickly when you arrive at your destination? If you want it at snail mail, drive your car or take the boat. These guys work hard already...
Posted at 3:24PM on Feb 9th 2008 by NoShow
192. Watch the body language. He either is on something or as many said, just hates his job, or downright lazy.
Any person seeking to do a good job would find a way to use the difference in leverage from the cart to the convayor belt. He could lay each piece of luggage down with care & get just as much done & be proud of his job. I worked many a low paying job in my lifetime, but I tried to do each with dignity & achievement. I get so tired of people saying, "Well, it's only minimum wage. What do you expect?"
Posted at 3:26PM on Feb 9th 2008 by K. Burns
193. the problem is he is intentionally throwing the bags in a way that shows total disregard to peoples property...he is SCUM.....and should be fired
Posted at 3:29PM on Feb 9th 2008 by dan
194. Unfotunately for this guy the people throwing a fit have probably never had to face the demands and time restraints he is under.
You are bitching about him throwing the bags and I'd be willing to bet that you are also the ones bitching about it taking too long to get your bags after the flight.
Yes he is throwing the bags onto the comveyor belt and No i dont have a problem with that..dont over pack your bags and pack things properly and of course if you have anything breakable carry it with you on the plane.
This guy and all the other baggage handlers like him have a certain amount of time to unload 3-4 trailers
(2bags per traveler on a full flight )
full of luggage..by himself .. If i were in his shoes
i would be tossing them as well..there is no way that he has time to take each item and delicately place it on that belt and have you out of the airport without a few hour wait.
the reason they were watching them is that he probably damaged bags in excess of the normal expectations..face it..the airlines KNOW that the bags are andled this way..they also KNOW that we all over pack our bags which is why if you read the disclaimer when you check your bags they clearly state that they do NOT cover damage to handles or zippers.
In most cases you can take the bag straight to the baggage office and receive an airline voucher for the trouble or even a brand new bag to replace the one damaged or both depending on the airline.
I have managed a warehouse for many years and i can tell you that loading and unloading heavy things all day long is not an easy job and quite thankless.
have a nice day
Victoria
Posted at 3:31PM on Feb 9th 2008 by Victoria
195. Actually I worked at an airline and I have seen much worse. When you toss bags all day sometimes the lighter ones fly a little farther than you intended. Anyway all luggage goes through this, its a bag and its complete purpose is to protect your belongings inside. Who cares if your samsonite gets a scratch? Just be nice to the baggage handler and generally your stuff will get extra nice care. Be nasty and you are lucky to get it back on time. ;)
Posted at 3:39PM on Feb 9th 2008 by ta