Airline Employees Fired After Damaging Luggage
When planning a trip that involved flying, it’s better to stick to carry-ons, and here’s why. Airline employees don’t always care about the why passengers bags are handled. Occasionally one slips off a cart during transport or gets tossed too close to another on the belt. And, waiting in the lost luggage line is everyone’s worst nightmare. If everything can fit in the overhead compartment, there’s a better chance of the bag making it in one piece to the other side.
Apparently, not all luggage mishaps are accidental, either. Airline ground staff at the Orlando International Airport were recently caught on tape throwing passengers’ suitcases onto a luggage belt. The workers actually raised the bags above their heads and chucked them onto the belt. In the video, the suitcases are seen bouncing up and down from the impact, sliding every which way.
The video was taken by airline passenger 19-year-old Matthew Campbell of Croydon, South London, who was returning from a two-week cruise to Aruba and the Dominican Republic. On board his British Airways flight, Campbell just happened to look out his window and said he couldn’t believe what he saw the employees doing. “I couldn’t believe the attitude of the staff as they hurled customers’ belongings like they were rubbish bags. They were throwing the bags and I wouldn’t be surprised if people’s suitcases and belongings were broken by the way they were hurling them. I had to film it for evidence,” he said. “I’m not sure why they were behaving that way. Maybe it’s because they work long hours and were tired, but either way, it shouldn’t be allowed to happen.”
Luckily, the conduct of the three employees involved wasn’t tolerated and they were fired soon after the footage was reviewed. A statement was released by the Greater Orlando Airport Aviation Authority: “Providing safe, secure and excellent customer service is our mission at Orlando International Airport. The incident viewed isn’t an example of the level of service we strive for. The employees involved have been removed from working at the airport.”
The incident made Campbell wonder about what exactly happened to a bag of his that was damaged in the past. “Last May, when I went to Houston, I picked up my suitcase at the airport and it had been broken,” he said. “’It was a hard case and when it came back, it was cracked – now I know why.” Campbell added, “I filmed it so that people know how airport staff handle their suitcases.”
A spokesperson for Virgin Atlantic said, “We’re aware of a video showing some ground staff at Orlando Airport handling baggage without the due care and attention that we would expect. We are disappointed to see the footage, and are investigating to ensure this doesn’t happen again.” Campbell shook his head. “I think Richard Branson would be disgusted if he knew the way the luggage on his flights are being treated. It’s put me off flying Virgin Atlantic altogether. I don’t want my luggage to be treated that way.”
Sources:
Virgin Atlantic passengers watch in horror as their luggage is tossed around by staff
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