| One of the best illustrations I've seen for | | | | |
| not checking bags happened at DFW Airport a | | | | I've lost count of the number people I've |
| short time back. It was during a heavy | | | | encountered who've had items stolen out of |
| thunderstorm, and they had shut down ramp | | | | their bags. It should go without saying that |
| operations due to the lightning. | | | | valuables should never be checked, but often |
| | | | the items taken aren't even all that |
| I was standing at a window overlooking the | | | | valuable. Shoes and other pieces of clothing |
| ramp area wondering when, if ever, I'd | | | | mysteriously disappear as well. |
| actually get out of Dallas. The downpour was | | | | |
| torrential, all personal were inside, and all | | | | With the new TSA rules especially, you |
| support equipment and vehicles had been left | | | | shouldn't even bother locking bags anymore, |
| standing where they were when the ramp was | | | | as they will just cut the locks. Who among |
| closed. | | | | those checking a bag hasn't found the little |
| | | | note inside saying this bag was searched? |
| This included baggage trains, of which I | | | | Happens routinely. |
| could see three, comprised of several carts | | | | |
| each, all uncovered, and all full of bags and | | | | Also, the TSA approved locks aren't failsafe |
| packages getting completely soaking wet. | | | | either. They say that by using them, the |
| There were also bags sitting on the ground, | | | | security folks can open them with master |
| stopped on the loading ramp to cargo holds, | | | | keys, thus saving the lock, but I found it |
| and one cart was chock full of cardboard | | | | interesting reading about how one guy using |
| packages, all getting doused. | | | | such a lock found it cut and placed inside |
| | | | his case with the aforementioned note. The |
| It ended up raining hard for about 20 | | | | humorous part was that he was a senior |
| minutes, then lighter for about the same | | | | executive with one of those lock |
| amount of time. It doesn't take much to | | | | manufacturing companies. |
| imagine the condition of those bags contents, | | | | |
| not to mention the packages once the | | | | Then there are the problems with lost |
| cardboard got saturated and turned to mush. | | | | luggage. Statistically inevitable, if you |
| | | | travel enough, it will happen to you. The |
| What I found interesting was that all the | | | | best outcome is that it didn't get on the |
| baggage carts had covers, but those covers | | | | plane, or got on the wrong plane, and will |
| were all rolled up or thrown back. So what's | | | | catch up to you in 24 to 48 hours. |
| the deal. I mean it's a rainy day, so any | | | | |
| thinking person should know the covers should | | | | The worse outcome is it never shows. In |
| be in place and only thrown back on the cart | | | | between are various numbers of days until it |
| being worked. Then it would've taken all of 2 | | | | arrives. Regardless, you will stand in a line |
| seconds to throw the cover back over the bags | | | | to fill out your claim, wasting yet more time |
| before scurrying inside. | | | | with long lines and unsympathetic, uncaring |
| | | | airline staff. Think about it - no one talks |
| This is just one example, but there are | | | | to these people except irate passengers, so |
| countless illustrations of uncaring baggage | | | | they're going to have an attitude. Sort of |
| handlers doing a pitiful job. I've watched | | | | like anyone working a complaint line, which |
| bags falling off carts, thrown in or bounced | | | | is probably why people take those jobs as a |
| off carts, kicked, flung, piled up and | | | | last resort. |
| falling off loading ramps, dropped in | | | | |
| puddles, run over, the list just goes on and | | | | What happens to all that lost, unclaimed |
| on. | | | | baggage? It goes to auction. Great huh? So |
| | | | much for all that stuff you just had to have |
| If that doesn't show the sense in not | | | | along. |
| checking luggage by only using carry-on bags, | | | | |
| then how about theft. You may not realize it, | | | | At the end of the day, the potential hassles |
| but a lot of stuff goes missing from checked | | | | just don't justify the risk of checking |
| bags. Between the ticket counter and the | | | | luggage. Why not save yourself a lot of grief |
| carousel, are many opportunities for | | | | by using only a single carry-on bag and |
| pilferage. | | | | travel light? |