Passenger Horrified To Discover How Luggage Is Handled by Airport Worker

A woman's warning to travelers to invest in a luggage cover after seeing how bags were handled at an airport has gone viral on TikTok.

Footage of a baggage handler was posted by 22-year-old Anna Woodring (@annacwoodring), a licensed hairstylist and content creator based in Florida who is "a fine-dining server on the side," she told Newsweek. The clip has had 12.4 million views since it was first shared on August 6.

The video was recorded on a Southwest Airlines flight traveling from Chicago's Midway International Airport to Denver International Airport.

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A message overlaid on the video reads: "This is your sign to buy that luggage cover." From a plane window, Woodring captured the rough handling of suitcases, which prompted her cautionary advice to viewers about the importance of a luggage cover. The video also shows what appear to be scuff marks on the exterior of a yellow suitcase.

Woodring told Newsweek: "I had never really thought about why checked bags always looked beat up afterwards until I looked out my window in the plane and saw how they were handled.

"I had only used that suitcase once before and had three separate flights checking that bag for my trip. My suitcase looked even worse after the third flight and I may have to get a whole new suitcase," she added.

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Newsweek has contacted Southwest Airlines for comment via email.

There were reported to be 250,348 "mishandled" bags in May among 10 major U.S. airlines, including Southwest, according to the latest Air Travel Consumer Report published by the U.S. Department of Transportation in July.

Luggage Cover Vs. More Durable Suitcase

According to Woodring, Monos—the company behind the poster's suitcase who was tagged in the post—has offered to send a replacement in response to her viral video. Woodring encourages travelers to invest in a luggage cover, especially if they're concerned about the appearance of their suitcase, and travel experts seem to concur.

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Victor Tam, the co-founder and CEO of Monos, told Newsweek that it is a matter of priorities and travel habits. "Investing in quality luggage is generally the better long-term solution," he said. Polycarbonate-made suitcases are lightweight yet strong, providing exceptional resistance to impact—a necessary feature when baggage can't be personally handled, he noted.

While a luggage cover won't necessarily add durability, Tam acknowledges that it is a practical, cost-effective option that helps preserve the aesthetic appeal of a suitcase "if you're not ready to invest in new luggage or want to prolong the life of your current suitcase."

Similarly, Richard Krulik, the CEO of American travelware brand Briggs & Riley, told Newsweek that a luggage cover "may not protect against the damage to the functionality of the luggage if it is mishandled," adding that it is "better to invest in a more durable piece of luggage" that's designed to withstand rigorous conditions, such as "being tossed around in the airport or on the tarmac."

This would ensure longevity and would ultimately be "more cost effective" than continually replacing damaged luggage, he said.

"If a traveler really wants to protect their luggage, they should purchase a durable piece of luggage and also buy a luggage cover for additional security against those cosmetic damages," Krulik added.

Woodring told Newsweek: "I absolutely understand how hard that job [baggage handler] is and am so thankful to the people who sign up and lift such heavy suitcases. However, those are people's belongings that we trust the airline with when letting them go, and it would be nice if they were taken just a bit better care of.

"My point in all this is to just make sure you get a cover if you care about the appearance of your suitcase. I will definitely be investing in a suitcase cover next time I decide to take a more bright-colored suitcase," she added.

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Correction 08/22/24, 5:50 a.m. ET: This article was updated to clarify that Briggs & Rileyis an American brand.