Baggage handler’s bizarre tarmac antics spark rage among musicians, but travel expert calls his behavior all too common
Why would he do that?
A video showing an airport baggage handler violently tossing guitar cases onto the tarmac at Los Angeles International Airport is sparking serious outrage online. This clip, which quickly went viral, is shining a spotlight on larger concerns about how airlines might be handling passengers’ valuable belongings.
According to Fox News, the video reportedly shows an airport worker in a bright orange vest roughly throwing multiple guitar cases from a luggage cart onto the ground. College student Nick Ruiz, 21, filmed the incident after arriving in Los Angeles, spotting the scene while walking through Terminal 4. He said the “whole situation felt wrong,” which is why he started recording out of concern for the instruments.
While the video itself is pretty shocking, Texas-based travel expert Gary Leff, who authors the blog View From the Wing, says this kind of handling isn’t actually that uncommon. Leff, who watched the video but didn’t personally observe the incident, mentioned that airlines usually condemn this behavior when it goes public, but in his experience, it’s “fairly standard.”
He really didn’t need to be that aggressive
He added that bags are designed to protect their contents, which is true, but it doesn’t excuse such rough treatment. Leff’s point is that you should always avoid checking high-value or delicate items whenever you can. He even noted that damaged bags are probably the number one photo he sees on social media related to airlines.
The clip quickly gained traction online, with countless viewers criticizing what they described as incredibly careless handling of expensive equipment. One user on X called it “absolutely disgraceful.” Another pointed out how it takes the same amount of effort, or even less, to just place them down calmly.
For musicians, this video is a real gut punch. Commenters expressed deep frustration, highlighting both the financial loss and the emotional impact of seeing their gear treated so poorly. “That’s easily $3,000 of equipment, by the way,” one person wrote. Another user simply stated, “As a musician, this breaks my heart.” Many others said the video helps explain why their luggage and fragile items often arrive damaged after flights.
It’s worth remembering that the U.S. Department of Transportation requires airlines to accommodate musical instruments as either checked baggage or carry-on items, depending on their size and available space. For larger instruments that can’t fit in overhead bins, some airlines even let passengers buy an extra seat to keep their instrument with them in the cabin.
The department recommends that travelers who check their instrument mark the case as “fragile,” even if it’s an instrument-shaped case. However, the rules clearly don’t always guarantee gentle handling.
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