AirPacific747 From Denmark, joined May 2008, 1730 posts, RR: 24 Posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 6218 times:
Hi
Today when I was sitting in the plane on my way home to CPH, the captain tells us that two of the passengers are missing, so they have to find 3 pieces of luggage from the cargo hold. Half an hour later the captain tells us that now only 1 piece is waiting to be found. But what I saw from my window was pretty shocking. I have never seen baggage being handeled like that. First of all, they are just throwing the luggage around, but I am kind of used to seeing that, but then I see a pice of luggage where it says "fragile" on it, and the baggage handlers are just throwing it around just like the other pieces of baggage, but what really was extreme was that they were throwing the baggage around with so much power that one of the suitcases fell from the cargo hold and down on the tarmac because it missed the ramp. Is this common in many airports or what? I mean all the passengers in the right side of the plane was looking out of the windows and had a good laugh because the baggage handlers were so brutal handling the luggage.. lol... kinda funny.. just not if they are handling your own baggage like that... any comments or other similar extreme stories?
SkyexRamper From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 2, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 6123 times:
Fragile items should not be checked or left out of your control, its as simple as that. The industry is flooded with people who don't care! Also if the ramp is understaffed or have a lot of lazy people then the people in the bins have to do what they can to a find 3 bags out of 100+. Bags get handled really rough when rampers are out of view from the public so don't even get me started there. This is why when I travel I don't check my bag, I make sure it will fit overhead when able or leave it planeside so that I get it back when I deplane to minimize the chance of it getting damaged or lost. So take this from an industry insider...DON'T pack important or fragile items in your checked baggage, please take it on the plane in a carry-on provided it doesn't violate any TSA or airline regulations.
PHLJJS From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 386 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 6034 times:
What you saw was pretty routine. I've seen bags fall from the tugs as they were driven to/from planes and left in the snow and rain for up to 30 minutes while there are other tugs just driving right past them. Also have witnessed airline baggage handlers have "who can throw the bag the farthest" contests in the baggage make up areas behind the ticket counters, and have been told of a "rule" that only the part of the bag where the fragile sticker is stuck to is indeed fragile, the rest of the bag is " normal."
SWISSER From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 4 days 4 hours ago) and read 6011 times:
Maybe placing a tag on your bag,
"Life animals / DANGER / Black Mamba snakes / do not feed"
will assure that it will be handled carefully...
Working for a company that's a handler in the first place I really can't do more then hide here...
It's indeed shocking to see these guys doing there thing...
TheSonntag From Germany, joined Jun 2005, 3311 posts, RR: 33 Reply 5, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 4 days 4 hours ago) and read 5986 times:
I can only agree on this, when I came back from KIX to AMS last year, I saw that baggage was thrown out, so that it fell down from 1metre, and they did that with every piece. I mean, I understand its a hard job, you don't have much time and pieces are heavy, but thats just unacceptable.
In general, I think this is an issue which really needs to be addressed. Way too many bags are lost, way too many are damaged. I don't want to blame the workers alone, and I have never worked on an airport so I lack experience on how these things should be done, but these things need to be adressed and fixed.
Comorin From United States of America, joined May 2005, 4271 posts, RR: 19 Reply 6, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 4 days 4 hours ago) and read 5966 times:
You're right it's shocking! I'm glad you posted this as I thought I was the only one who noticed this at Amsterdam.
I have on two seperate occasions watched luggage fall off from speeding tugs as we were waiting at Amsterdam Schiphol. I must say that I haven't seen this level of indifference anywhere else. Maybe they've been hanging out at the "Coffee Houses" in AMS?
The guys at LHR and JFK seem to be pretty good at their work. Come to think of it, the rest of the world seems good at it too. How come an otherwise excellent airport like AMS puts up with this blight?
Airfoilsguy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 7, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 4 days ago) and read 5833 times:
My guess is that the handlers were pissed that they had to unload a plane they just loaded. This is of course no excuse for such carelessness in view of the people that pay their wages (customers)
LongbowPilot From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 577 posts, RR: 5 Reply 8, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 4 days ago) and read 5814 times:
I could tell tales all day of the life of a ramper. Here is a good one though.
I was working in KORF, and the afternoon mad dog came in. We unloaded the aircarft and sent the bag runner to the terminal to drop. Well he dropped a bag just behind the fuel truck fueling the aircraft for the return to KATL. This was one of those massive fuel trucks. It was just a hair shorter than a highway tanker, probably held around 20000 pounds of fuel. The bag was one of those hardened for nuclear detonation samsonites. That truck backed up and that thing was reduced to the thickness of a wafer. I was laughing my ass off eventhough it wasn't that funny.
Trust me, it pisses off rampers when people no show and we have to find their bags. Murphy's Law is in full effect that the bag you have to find was the first one you louded..
AirPacific747 From Denmark, joined May 2008, 1730 posts, RR: 24 Reply 10, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 5710 times:
Quoting Comorin (Reply 6): You're right it's shocking! I'm glad you posted this as I thought I was the only one who noticed this at Amsterdam.
And I am glad that people on this board know what I am talking about.
but then when we arrived in CPH, the baggage handlers were also doing a competition who could throw the baggage furthest. I guess those people are just mad about their job, and everyone else has to pay the price for that
edit:
"Trust me, it pisses off rampers when people no show and we have to find their bags. Murphy's Law is in full effect that the bag you have to find was the first one you louded.."
yes I can understand them, but throwing with peoples' baggage (the people that did show up) does not really help.. I understand why they would throw around with the baggage that caused the delay though
Soups From Ghana, joined Jun 2004, 3419 posts, RR: 18 Reply 11, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 5661 times:
Fragile or not fragile its a piece of luggage at the end of the day.
some airline/airport load their bags on pallets (see below) i definately woudln't like my bag to be the one right below.
There is a picture of a bag sitting in the middle of the tarmac at an airport. i will try and find it
Next destinations, Suarabaya, beirut, paris, Accra
Leskova From Germany, joined Oct 2003, 6075 posts, RR: 77 Reply 12, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 5641 times:
Having spent a few hours on Amsterdam's terrace, I certainly know what you're talking about, AirPacific747...
While I've seen an occasional bag fall off of carts at other airports, the sheer number of falling bags/suitcases that were, eventually, sometimes even run over by tractors pulling further baggage carts in Amsterdam was close to unbelievable: within 4 hours I saw no less than 4 suitcases completely destroyed with their contents being collected and put into plastic bags: while they may have had a bad day that day, it does look as if something's just not working right there.
About another 10 bags fell from carts but were picked up by the drivers of following tractors, though sometimes one or two went by without doing anything at all.
I know baggage isn't always handled as careful as we, as passengers, want to believe, and I've occasionally received my baggage with more than just a few extra dents in it... and I don't know if (going by actual numbers) Amsterdam is really worse than other major airports - but, as mentioned, it's just never been as evident to me anywhere else.
LongbowPilot From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 577 posts, RR: 5 Reply 13, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 5637 times:
Quoting AirPacific747 (Reply 10): yes I can understand them, but throwing with peoples' baggage (the people that did show up) does not really help.. I understand why they would throw around with the baggage that caused the delay though
You are right it isn't an excuse. I never took it out on the baggage, cause there is another example of Murphy's Law there as well. Basically you beat on a bag, they will beat you back. I have had a back hit me square in the face when I was loading it, because the whole i was trying to put it in was a "lil" too small. I had a Black Eye. So in other words, the bags may not be a live but they do hurt.
The picture is a right on look at what the bags experiance when loaded. This picture should put everyone on notice, that your "fine china" is never safe. Generally I tried to make sure fragile stuff was seperated, but you just don't have the time to examin all 6 sides of the bags to see if there is a sticker.
Don't over pack either. That is why you see bags come through the carousels open, because "Grandma" tried to pack it all in one bag, and POOF it flys open when we handled them.
MD80fanatic From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 2606 posts, RR: 11 Reply 15, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 5455 times:
Doesn't anyone remember the samsonite gorilla commercial? Geesh, how true that was...
LongbowPilot From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 577 posts, RR: 5 Reply 16, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 5303 times:
Quoting MD80fanatic (Reply 15): Doesn't anyone remember the samsonite gorilla commercial? Geesh, how true that was...
LOL that was a hillarious commercial.. To think we could do that..
Zaphod From United Arab Emirates, joined Feb 2004, 81 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 14 hours ago) and read 5042 times:
Working for a handler I must agree that bags are not always treated the way the passenger expects them to be. The passenger has to share some of this responsibility too. The bags are so overloaded that the handle breaks loose, or the wheels break away. Strange things can also happen in the baggage handling system...imagine a 30kg suitcase falling from 10ft at 10kmph.
Quoting SkyexRamper (Reply 2): Fragile items should not be checked or left out of your control, its as simple as that.
That is a very simple thing to do. And also keep all your valuables in your hand carry. And insurance too.
Yes but rampers have it tough. Imagine having to load a complete aircraft just to offload some bags of some poor soul who has fallen ill or some idiot who just decides not to fly.
Nordair From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 18, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 13 hours ago) and read 4688 times:
Not so shocking.
A friend of mine was aghast when he was hired as a baggage handler. His supervisor told him not to bother with being careful or neat with the baggage and that the only thing that mattered was speed.
FlyinTLow From Germany, joined Oct 2004, 488 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 4159 times:
Yes, that's how it is done. I know it shouldn't be like that in aviation, but there are several other things in aviation that shouldn't be like that and they still are.
Most airports nowadays understaff their ramp beyond belief. And the last thing you want to do is undo and then again redo the entire work of maybe 20 to 30 minutes (that's basically what finding a piece of luggage on an airplane is, if the airline doesn't use BRS). Believe me, when you type an email and your computer crashes and you get to retype that email again, your mood is not the best anymore either!
IRelayer From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 1032 posts, RR: 2 Reply 20, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 3788 times:
Yep this is the standard...I'm sure there are a few baggage handlers that take pride in their work and don't throw the bags around but I think in general its just a job for most people and they could care less about random people's bags...
MissedApproach From Canada, joined Oct 2004, 711 posts, RR: 2 Reply 21, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 3723 times:
Quoting AirPacific747 (Thread starter): "fragile" on it, and the baggage handlers are just throwing it around just like the other pieces of baggage
That's lucky. I've heard that bags are thrown 10 feet for each fragile sticker.
I had someone break my duty free bottle loading luggage at YYZ. It was in my carry on, but because the flight was on an RJ I had to check it at the "Sky Check". I even asked the girl at the counter if I should take the bottle out whereupon she assured me it would be okay. As I got to my seat I could see the ramper loading bags & he placed mine on the belt sideways. Since it was a sports bag, it promptly rolled off & landed on the ramp upside down. Hooray. It only actually broke the neck of the bottle, so I still had 3/4 of my booze left, but it was still a bit disappointing. Now that's alcohol abuse!
9252fly From Canada, joined Sep 2005, 1223 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 3586 times:
I have a feeling if any of us worked as a baggage handler,it wouldn't take long before most of us started being a little aggressive with the baggage. I suspect part of the problem can be attributed to the never ending cycle of cut-backs,where airline employees are constantly expected to do more with less(be it lower pay and/or less manpower). It's just a symptom of airlines having to reduce their costs,the result being,that these workers just don't have the time or inclination,to take the care,that the traveling public expects. Do yourself a favor,keep your checked bags under 23Kg(50lbs) and you'll be surprised with the results.
NoelG From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 23, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 3529 times:
We were spotting next to the regional ramp at CDG a few years back. One of those truck things towing a train of trailers went flying onto the ramp, and swung round a right hand bend. A suitcase flew off, hit the floor and came open, scattering women's underwear all across the apron.
The baggage handler noticed it, and was straight away on his hands and knees picking up underwear!
One of the few times I've seen a baggage handler be so meticulous with making sure every pair of panties and every bra was placed carefully back into the suitcase!
I have a photo of it somewhere, I'll have to scan it in if I can find it!
SmithAir747 From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 1529 posts, RR: 38 Reply 24, posted (6 years 7 months 1 week 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 3474 times:
This does not just happen at airports, either.
Mom and I went on a Carnival cruise to Nassau, Bahamas from Miami on the ship Fascination. Before disembarkation at the Miami dock, Mom and I watched forklifts remove crates of bags from the ship's hold (we were on the Lido deck, looking down over the rail at the dock). One metallic briefcase-like item fell off the forklift crate and was left sitting there for a while!
Just beware when you go on a cruise!
SmithAir747
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made... (Psalm 139:14)
25 9Y-ISA: as someone who has worked as a ramprat for a couple of companies at YYZ, I can say a couple of things: 1) luggage within the weight limit will get tre
26 TheSonntag: I once worked at a storage facility as a student job. We were getting containers from China with all possible funny stuff, and we were 2 people to emp
27 Smcmac32msn: Thats one of the funniest rules I've ever read!!! Thanks for the laugh! Don't forget that as part of these cutbacks... they cutback the time the plan
28 SATL382G: You put a glass bottle of booze in a soft sided sports bag and expected it to survive? And for all the passengers out there that don't remove the
29 Glareskin: A couple of years ago they used to show the live video images of the lugage routing of your flights suitcases in the bagageclaims hall. Now I know why
30 BuyantUkhaa: Ha! Well, some years ago (flying from AMS to a non-disclosed Northern Irish capital flying a non-disclosed orange discount airline), as I came out of
32 YULWinterSkies: Just one thing: why do they unload bags of missing passengers? Why just simply fly with the bags and send them back the other way? Makes more sense th
33 Jetdeltamsy: I hate to say it, but a "fragile" sticker means nothing to most ramp employees. Everybody's luggage is fragile. Every piece gets the same treatment.
34 SLUAviator: Speaking from the viewpoint of someone who worked in the beast that is UA's bagroom at ORD and with the processed bags, I can tell you that a lot of d
35 ACYWG: Its a security thing more than a customer service thing. If i was a terrorist(I'm not, i've been involved with Airlines my entire life) and wanted to
36 Bicoastal: This is a security requirement implemented after the Locherbie (sp?) terrorist bombing. The explosives in the baggage were checked through to the "fi
37 9252fly: I still find it hard to explain to people that complain about why their baggage hasn't arrived with them. On more than one occasion,I've been asked,"
38 Boeingfanyyz: It's like trying to get into a nice conversation with a cabbie! They all hate their jobs and dont give a hoot about how they handle anything. Cheers,
39 FI642: One, they aren't called "bag busters" for nothing. Second, ever spent an hour digging for a bag on a DC-10 only to find it NEVER left the ticket count
40 Jrebel: Not likely. Anybody who regularly has the pleasure of traveling by bus to and from the remote stands at Schiphol can confirm that what you saw is qui
41 Jasond: A few years ago I lived in 'country' Western Australia whose ports were served largely by F-28's and BAe 146's. Terminals were naturally very small, s
43 Airbazar: Yes indeed. Imagine someone actually having to do the job they're paid to do. The insanity. Some days I don't like my job either but if I were to sta
44 Mika: I think i will apply a sticker to my bag that says: "WARNING: Contains several microscopic cameras and advanced fingerprinting and ID equipment, handl
45 MissedApproach: I flew out of Zagreb once & the bags were waiting beside the plane when we got there. You had to physically touch the bag & say it was yours before t
46 LongbowPilot: The basic rule is Positive Bag Matches apply domestically at point of origin, but during the rest of the "DOMESTIC" trip it is not required. As for i
47 Jwenting: Which would immediately set off all kinds of alerts and get you pulled off the aircraft for transporting a life animal in an unsuitable container, tr
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This is why when I travel I don't check my bag, I make sure it will fit overhead when able or leave it planeside so that I get it back when I deplane to minimize the chance of it getting damaged or lost. So take this from an industry insider...DON'T pack important or fragile items in your checked baggage, please take it on the plane in a carry-on provided it doesn't violate any TSA or airline regulations.
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