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 3 of 28)
31. I worked for an airline for 28 years and though this seems like rough handling it is only a little worse than what your bags normally go through. Think about it. This guy has to load and unload about 10 or more airplanes a day. That is, take them off the conveyor belt at the aircraft, then off the bag cart at the terminal. An aircraft belly can hold 50 to 100 bags, boxes, freight, etc. If each bag weighs about 40 lbs, he is handling a ton to 2 tons, twice for each aircraft, times 10 aircraft a day. Kind of strenuous after 10 or 15 years. Also you may want to consider that if there are 100 other bags in a cargo belly, and yours is on the bottom when they're loaded, your bag has at least a few hundred pounds on top of it. Pack accordingly.
Posted at 8:40AM on Feb 9th 2008 by jim
32. Does anyone really expect this guy to take each piece of luggage and place it politely on the belt? Then you would all be complaining about how long it took to get your luggage.
Posted at 8:49AM on Feb 9th 2008 by DD
33. I agree with Blakefan. Really, this is what the guy does all day, what is he supposed to do -- place each one on the carrier like a ballerina? Then you'll be complaining about the late flights! There are probably supposed to be more than one guy doing this, too, and he's stucked doing everything. Maybe he just got some bad news -- you never know what's going on in someone else's life. If you're dumb enough to back breakables in checked luggage, well, what can I say?
Posted at 8:49AM on Feb 9th 2008 by Angel Dana
34. The jerk should be lined up against the walll and shot.
Posted at 8:52AM on Feb 9th 2008 by Roosevelt
35. I hate to break it to you people, but this is how EVERY baggage handler does it. I've sat in numerous airplanes watching out the window and seen them throw luggage onto that cart with just as much force, piled 8-9 items high. You don't really think they care, do you? You don't think ANYONE at the airline cares, do you?
Posted at 8:52AM on Feb 9th 2008 by Kim
36. this is a bunch of bull - he's not tossing them that bad - all handlers just about throw them like this. what a waste of tape. he obviously grouped them together - which means he cared to read the tags. these are soft luggages. another obvious observation. who packs something fragile in a nylon bag? anyone who thinks - on an airplane full of passengers - what 300 people - 300 pieces of luggage are going to be lovingly caressed onto a conveyorbelt - and he probably has 300 seconds to do it, is in a fantasy land. they conveyor belt tosses them around pretty much near as much.
Posted at 8:52AM on Feb 9th 2008 by blair
37. this is a bunch of bull - he's not tossing them that bad - all handlers just about throw them like this. what a waste of tape. he obviously grouped them together - which means he cared to read the tags. these are soft luggages. another obvious observation. who packs something fragile in a nylon bag? anyone who thinks - on an airplane full of passengers - what 300 people - 300 pieces of luggage are going to be lovingly caressed onto a conveyor belt - and he probably has 300 seconds to do it, is in a fantasy land. they conveyor belt tosses them around pretty much near as much.
Posted at 8:55AM on Feb 9th 2008 by blair
38. This is typical of the 'minimum wage earner' it doesn't matter what job they have, they either abuse what they have to handle or use the minimum amount of brain power and muscle to do the job. Some of them will even tell you so. They did to me. How many times have you heard,"What do you expect for minimum wage?" from one of these jokers? I've heard it 4 times in the past year.
Posted at 8:58AM on Feb 9th 2008 by ana
39. I'm not sure which is worse, his slow pace at unloading or his tossing. No wonder we waited so long for our luggage the last time.
Posted at 9:05AM on Feb 9th 2008 by holly
40. That isn't anything special.. I have seen lots worse. For example, baggage workers throw baby carriages and kick them when they get jammed. It's common knowledge to hand carry fragiles. Remember the Samsonite ads showing an elephant standing on the luggage..hmm, I think they made a point there. Give the guy a break, do you expect him to pick them up by the handle and gently set them down? If so, don't complain when they don't have time to change them to your next flight and it's not at the arrival point.
Posted at 9:11AM on Feb 9th 2008 by nan
41. Must be a similar baggage handler in Puerto Rico or Phila. Last Sept. our luggage was fine when clearing customs in Puerto Rico but somewhere between there and arriving in Philly the whole bottom corner was torn off--airline claims it doesn't cover wheels but it wasn't just a missing wheel---the whole corner of the luggage was gone! They should all be on continuous feed tape.
Posted at 9:14AM on Feb 9th 2008 by Sharon Zanotto
42. Another reason to never check my bags!! I always try to pack light enough to carry on. Flying sucks these days!!!!
Posted at 9:18AM on Feb 9th 2008 by Sue
43. what an ass that guy is i dont expect them to be treating luggage like a newborn baby but that was bad oooh how come they didnt use a rap song instead of a country song for that video ( oooh thats right rap stars dont sing about working)
Posted at 9:18AM on Feb 9th 2008 by xev
44. I'm a retired airline employee. I see nothing unusual about this. A normal day, unfortunately.
Posted at 9:19AM on Feb 9th 2008 by Mary
45. Though what he's doing is horrible, I don't think he's worse than any other baggage handler I've ever watched out of an airplane window loading or unloading a plane. They always "throw" the luggage and it makes me sick to watch it.
Posted at 9:21AM on Feb 9th 2008 by Margaret