Airline "Fragile" Baggage

[sdimbert]

I don't want to get a reputation as the "Airline Guy," but I was on a plane again today, and have another question:

I was watching them unload the baggage out my window while we waited for everyone to board, and I saw the baggage guys come to a big box that said "FRAGILE," both handwritten and on the special stickers that the skycaps add.

The handlers didn't seem to treat the box any differently from the other parcels - they just lifted it up and tossed it onto the conveyor.

Any baggage handles out there? What is the protocol? Are the handlers requried to treat these packages with any deference?

[AWB]

They only throw fragile packages half as hard as regular packages. :D:D

[ticker]

They sometimes kick them, just to make sure you weren't lying wih the stickers ;)

[vandal]

Well, I'm not sure about airlines, but at UPS, writing FRAGILE on the package does not make a difference.

The package handlers handle all the packages the same. Speed is of utmost importance... handling the packages with care would only slow the process down.

[DAYIUZ]

I too was a UPS imployee for a short time. Fragile in UPS lingo means, "Game On!!!" :p

Really though, if no one was around, I would beat the living daylights out of the package. My goal was to make its box like shape transform into something that can only be described as 'undescribable.'

[Donovan]

As a former UPS'er, I'd say ditto to Dayiuz- If the box was heavy and fragile, I'd put it on the bottom of a wall (with easily over 300 pounds on top of it), if it was light, I'd chuck it as far as I could to the back of the load (I never send anything UPS unless it is wrapped to be pretty much bombproof)- The whole point is, most people loading/unloading cargo (at least for UPS) are working under so much pressure to work ultra fast, they don't have the time/patience to worry about special handling instructions... I'm guessing that airlines don't give baggage handlers much slack time either.