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 2 of 28)
16. I don't see anything wrong with what he's doing. It would take forever for him to unload the luggage any other way. If people want the careful handling service, they should expect higher prices to pay someone to do this and delays in getting their luggage. Some people should think about the pressure that this person is under to get the luggage out and the conditions that he is working in. Also the pay probably isn't that great. Why don't you try his job for a day?
Posted at 8:04AM on Feb 9th 2008 by Mary
17. Remember the gorilla in the cage with the Tourister luggage commercial,they need to use him instead! Things are not made like they used to be!
Posted at 8:06AM on Feb 9th 2008 by Victoria
18. I really expected to see something much worse than what this fellow is doing. I think this is pretty standard. It takes a lot of energy to move those bags and if you think about it, there is no way that these guys are going to be able to pick up the bags and gently place them in another spot. Especially if there are a lot of bags to move quickly. I fly quite often and I don't buy expensive bags. I also pack very well...keeping more fragile things with me.
Posted at 8:07AM on Feb 9th 2008 by Michgirl
19. He should be beheaded
Posted at 8:08AM on Feb 9th 2008 by Gary
20. I was sitting on a plane at LAX waiting to get to the gate when a luggage truck with about 10 carts full of luggage attatched to the back passed us. The guy driving the cart swerved and the back 3 carts of luggage tipped over and disconected from the rest of the vehicle. He kept driving and there was about 50 pieces of luggage strewn all over the tarmac.
Posted at 8:11AM on Feb 9th 2008 by frequentflyer
21. He does seem to be a little exuberant with the luggage, but it's going onto a conveyor belt, and those things dump your luggage around too. I just don't(or wouldn't) pack your breakables unless you pack them with care...i.e. wrap your chit up good. Have you ever watched UPS or other shipping company moving packages around in their truck or "dropping" them off at companys? I suggest anyone unhappy with guy try walking in his shoes for a week or two.
Posted at 8:11AM on Feb 9th 2008 by Dave
22. What people need to remember is that these days, when you have connecting flights sometimes only 30 minutes apart (considered a legal or 'doable' connection time by airlines), it would be nearly impossible to gently handle each piece of luggage like fine china. Having said that, the handler seen here does seem to be taking his time throwing things onto the belt.
Typically, though, if you have less than a one-hour connection time, and these handlers have to get your bags and those of a couple of hundred of other people not only OFF of the plane you arrived on, but sorted and taken to various other planes for each person's connecting flight, then really, do you think they can afford to go slowly? If a passenger arrives at their destination and have no luggage, that is one ticked-off passenger, and, depending upon how long it takes for the bags to arrive, the airline may have to pay someone to hand-deliver the bags to the passenger.
So either the airlines treat your bags with kid gloves, OR you get your bags on time and can go about your day. If you want perfect luggage, buy it and stick it in a closet and never use it. Otherwise, grow up. Nothing is made to last forever, and with the small amount of time baggage handlers have, there is no logical way that they can be truly gentle with every piece. Their jobs are on the line and they know it. Not for rough handling, but for the time-restrictions. I am sure that if they took their time, they would be fired.
Think about it.
Posted at 8:20AM on Feb 9th 2008 by Avonelle
23. There is nothing unusual about this. This is common behavior with baggage handlers. I work in the trade show industry,and travel alot. These guys and convention hall forklift drivers both crawled out of the same sewer pit.
Posted at 8:21AM on Feb 9th 2008 by cort
24. Not that what he's doing is right because I'm tired of my luggage getting beat up every time I fly, but he's not doing anything different than what I've seen others do loading and unloading bags. They don't care what's in your bags, nor do they consider the price of the luggage they toss around....maybe they should be held personaly responsible for any damage done while under their supervision.
Posted at 8:27AM on Feb 9th 2008 by Tammy Harding
25. I dont see him mangling anything maybe throwing them a little hard, but nothing to fire him for
Posted at 8:28AM on Feb 9th 2008 by Timothy
26. I don't see where this guy is doing anything wrong. His job
is to get the bags from the cart to the conveyor and that's
exactly what he is doing. In s job like this you can't treat
every piece of luggage like its got fine china in it and if that were the case, the luggage delays would just give all the whiners something else to bitch about.
Posted at 8:30AM on Feb 9th 2008 by Duke101
27. I believe this isn't the worst...there's MORE we don't know about!
Posted at 8:34AM on Feb 9th 2008 by mary
28. If it's just a weekend trip, pack as little as possible in a carry-on bag. It's a LOT faster on & off planes and no asshole throws it around like a rag doll. (I hope he doesn't have kids he throws around like that!)
It doesn't say if he got fired or anything, so probably not. What a douchebag!
Posted at 8:37AM on Feb 9th 2008 by Mr. Meaner
29. this is all they show???? its much worse than this. it is what they DON"T show!
Posted at 8:38AM on Feb 9th 2008 by mary
30. its what their not showing us, thats really horrendous!
Posted at 8:40AM on Feb 9th 2008 by mary