Confessions of an airline baggage handler

[boomy]

ABC News offer some tips about hand luggage and checked-in baggage.
Apparently using early check-in or first class tags is not always a good idea.
Also interesting to learn most thefts happen when a bag is declared too big or too heavy for a carry-on and is taken down to be checked-in.
Confessions of an Airline Baggage Handler | Video - ABC News

 

[RooFlyer]

Couldn't see the vision, but heard the audio.

Nothing in that surprises me. The 2 times I have had stuff taken from my bags during an International flight was when they were at LAX in transit for 4-6 hours.

Having to carry every single bit of electronics in your carry on is a PITA.

 

[TomVexille]

Disappointing that it happens. Although I'd be more worried about something being put into my bags without my knowledge.

 

[Robert K]

hopefully sometime very soon all luggage will be standardised so robots can replace all humans handling my belongings.

 

[boomy]

hopefully sometime very soon all luggage will be standardised so robots can replace all humans handling my belongings.

And then priority tagged luggage with actually come out first, something humans clearly can't do!

 

[prozac]

Disappointing that it happens. Although I'd be more worried about something being put into my bags without my knowledge.

On flight last year SYD-KUL-AMS bag arrived not containing grass but covered in dried grass. Still trying to work out how they achieved that as it was a bit heavy (17.8kg) for playing footie with.

edit: It did come out first on the AMS carousel...just not the cleanest bag on the flight.

 

[TomVexille]

And then priority tagged luggage with actually come out first, something humans clearly can't do!

That just depends on the airline some do it rather well.

 

[TomVexille]

On flight last year SYD-KUL-AMS bag arrived not containing grass but covered in dried grass. Still trying to work out how they achieved that as it was a bit heavy (17.8kg) for playing footie with.

That's a strange one

 

[prozac]

That's a strange one

It was raining on arrival AMS so I figured the dried grass was not from there.

I am always a little disappointed when the bag arrives not "damaged" as such but looking a bit more kicked around. Almost like they needed to reach something up high so chose my bag to stand on...that sort of thing.

 

[drron]

And then priority tagged luggage with actually come out first, something humans clearly can't do!

When we fly QF SYD-BKK/NRT the priority tags virtually always work and bags out quickly.
But flying QF BKK/NRT-SYD the priority tags virtually never work.

 

[kpc]

You have to assume that there is a reasonable chance that anything you pack in checked luggage you may never see again...that's my motto now

 

[marki]

hopefully sometime very soon all luggage will be standardised so robots can replace all humans handling my belongings.

Who controls the robots .....pause ..... Yes that's right Humans.

 

[marki]

On flight last year SYD-KUL-AMS bag arrived not containing grass but covered in dried grass. Still trying to work out how they achieved that as it was a bit heavy (17.8kg) for playing footie with.

edit: It did come out first on the AMS carousel...just not the cleanest bag on the flight.

Just be happy it was not grass in Bali

 

[marki]

You have to assume that there is a reasonable chance that anything you pack in checked luggage you may never see again...that's my motto now

That's what travel insurance was invented for

 

[kpc]

That's what travel insurance was invented for

Only for things that can be replaced ; some sentimental things cannot be replaced and are too large to carry on...anyway I digress. Beware Jnb if on a long transit!

 

[prozac]

What a sad state of affairs when you cannot discount theft from your luggage.

 

[JohnK]

The less I say about baggage handlers the better.

You have to assume that there is a reasonable chance that anything you pack in checked luggage you may never see again...that's my motto now

Why? It shouldn't have to be that way. These are things that I have worked hard to acquire for my benefit. Not for someone else's benefit.

I totally agree about automating baggage services.

 

[harvyk]

Hardly any large revelations in there, and whilst most of those things shouldn't happen, considering the number of people who would be employed by airports across the US and thus would have access to the bags, there is bound to be a few bad apples in there, much like there is a few bad apples in any industry.

These days I tend to only check bags if traveling with the family, and when I do, I make sure that only things that go into the checked bags are things we could easily re-buy on arrival at our destination, just in case.

 

[Must...Fly!]

When we fly QF SYD-BKK/NRT the priority tags virtually always work and bags out quickly.
But flying QF BKK/NRT-SYD the priority tags virtually never work.

Probably points to a lack of appropriate loading at BKK/NRT

 

[boomy]

I was surprised to find out how popular are thefts from last minute checked-in carry on bags. I guess it's all done in a rush and many pax forget to remove their valuables.
I usually fly QF and they almost never check the size/weight of the carry on but I'm sure other airlines do, so must be careful there.