As you pack for your upcoming vacation, the last thing you want is for your bags to be late, lost, or mishandled. After all, nothing can ruin a trip faster than having problems right away when you’re still waiting for your luggage . But let me tell you something: the only thing worse than a piece of luggage being late is a piece that is broken. And we don’t just mean a little worse for wear, we mean completely ruined.
Even though airlines are getting much better at making sure their passengers’ belongings are safe, dozens or even hundreds of luggage get damaged every day. So Bored Panda has set out to find the most shocking and annoying pictures that people have ever posted online and put them all in one place.
They’ve put together a list of things you wouldn’t want to happen to even the most annoying traveler, like broken suitcases, shattered laptops, and clothes torn into a thousand tiny pieces. So keep scrolling to see all of them.
H/T bored panda
#1 TSA Spilling His Mothers Ashes
Image credit: AJFrancis410
#2 My Uncle’s Suitcase After His Flight
Image credit:an0nym0ose
If you’ve ever stood by the baggage carousel in shock as your suitcase slowly came towards you torn open and looking like an overstuffed sandwich, you’re not alone. After all, the world of handling luggage is a rough and tumble place. Dents and scratches are common, and most passengers don’t think much of them. But these serious cases are the stuff that travelers’ worst nightmares are made of.
#3 Airport Forklift Went Through Pelican Case And 2 Computers Inside
Image credit:ImA13x
#4 Air Italy Completely Destroyed My Bag
Image credit:tigermilk26
Just a quick look at this list makes it seem like giving back checked bags is almost like taking a leap of faith. But don’t forget that once they leave your sight at the airport, they’re on their own journey. There are a lot of strange things that can happen to your bags before they finally get back to you. They might go through conveyor belts, be handled by dozens of people, or ride on different trolleys.
#5 I Feel Bad For The Suitcase Owner
Image credit: emmy_emma
6 Last year’s. They said our bag fell off the truck. They managed to retrieve the bag despite losing everything inside.
Image credit: CatchyUrchin
As a “smart person,” I worked at a fruit stand for a while. One day, a well-known music group came in a hurry because they had a show that night. The computers were checked in on the plane, and when they got them back, the pelican case had a big crack in it. When they opened the case, they saw that the computer in the picture had been “stabbed” and that the screen on the computer under it was broken. It turns out that the airport’s forklift poked the case, killing the computers inside. A coworker spent a few hours moving hard drives (they were SSDs) and reinstalling the OS so that everything would work on the new machines.
#7 Airline Ruined My Bag And Everything Inside It
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#8 RyanAir destroyed my checked luggage and belongings
Image credit: YazanShawish
It’s enough to give a traveler who is already nervous another reason to worry. But luckily, most of the time, your checked bag will get to its destination on time and in the same condition as when you got it.
#9 This Luggage Left On The Airport Tarmac
Image credit: becca_becs_bec-kawh
According to a 2019 Baggage IT report from SITA, the world’s leading expert in air transport communications and information technology, 18% of the 24.8 million bags that were reported as “mishandled” (delayed, lost/stolen, or ruined) by airlines were “damaged or stolen.”
Who are the worst criminals? Well, Trifibre, a major case maker, found that some airlines are known to be rougher on luggage than others.
#10 This Is Just Sad
Image credit: ellablack0071
After looking at the data from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which covers airlines that serve the UK, it seems like one international airline soars above the rest. Between 2015 and 2020, 823 claims for damaged luggage were sent to airlines. Of those, 108 were sent to Ryanair. That’s 13% of all claims and more than twice as many as any other airline.
“Emirates came in second with 47 claims for damaged luggage, which is 6% of all claims, and Alitalia was third with 40 claims for damaged luggage, which is 5% of all claims,” Trifibre said.
#11 “Fragile”? I reported damaged luggage. How fast and hard must it hit a surface to get damaged?
Image credit: Lennethxvii
Even though we can take precautions and hope that the worst doesn’t happen, it’s best to know what to do if your luggage gets visibly damaged in flight. We looked at Terry Ward’s article for The Points Guy, which has advice from experts on how to handle these kinds of situations.
The most important thing to do if your luggage is broken, torn, or damaged in any other way at the airport is to report it right away. But you should be sure you know how your bag looked when you left it at the check-in desk. Even better if you can show pictures to back it up.
#12 TAP Air Portugal recently returned my lost luggage. They destroyed the new suitcase and stole lots of stuff.
Image credit: critically_gingered
#13 Someone Flying Out Of DFW Is Going To Have A Rough Time In A Few Hours
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Travelers United’s chairman, Charles Leocha, said that things like a missing wheel, a tear in the fabric casing, or a broken zipper are all examples of damage. “Take pictures of the outside, the inside, and the things you’ve packed,” Leocha told them. “It proves that your bag was damaged or that someone stole or broke something.”
Don’t forget to take pictures of any dents or scratches you find when you get your bag back. You may need them to back up your claim. Also, airlines usually want you to keep your baggage tags on your bags, so take a picture of them before you rip them off.
#14 Having To Pay To Have My Luggage Treated Like This
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#15 Attention Everyone, United Airlines has once again shown me why it is the worst airline.
Image credit: kirrapink
This has happened more than once this year. They lost my boards and broke them, but they said there was nothing they could do because “the board bag wasn’t damaged.” Now we have Boards, Wetsuits, AND board bags damaged and wetsuits missing. I would like United to pay me for this, but they have turned down my claims many times this year. At least all of my favorite boards are together.
Douglas Kidd, who is the executive director of the National Association of Airline Passengers, said that passengers should know what their rights are. “They can and should file a claim with the airline if the bag(s) or their contents are damaged,” Kidd said. “However, keep in mind that a passenger’s Contract of Carriage may severely limit how much the airline will pay for such damage.”
#16 The Aftermath Of Your Routine Baggage Inspection At The San Diego Airport
Image credit: Klunkster14
#17 Airport Authorities Did This To My Favorite Backpack (Nike Air Max)
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Kidd said that it’s best to report the incident in person at the airport because everything can be written down there. This is better than uploading claim documents online. “Plus, if you’re not picky about a new bag, you might be given a new one on the spot.”
Remember that the airline will decide how things are handled. Also, they may have different times after your flight when they will look at your claim for damaged luggage. If you notice something after you’ve left the airport, you should act right away.
#18 “I Thought If I Covered It In Clothes I Could Check It In On My Flight And It Would Be Ok!”
Image credit: BreeCleave
When it comes to getting paid for the trouble, it’s up to the airline to decide how much, if anything, you’ll get. Kidd said that normal wear and tear is probably not covered, but you can try to get in touch with the company that made your bag.
Situations like this one are sure to ruin your trip, but Kid said that the best way to talk to the staff is to stay calm and cool. Kidd said, “A damaged bag is a bad way to start or end a trip, but yelling at the baggage claim agent about a missing wheel or a hole in your bag won’t help your claim or get it settled faster.”
#19 Spirit Airlines mistreated my $4,000 laptop on my flight from LA to FL. I work on this PC. Ruined
Image credit: ChristalRaine
#20 Came From An 8-Hour Flight Just To Find That The People Of The Airport Broke Into My Luggage
Image credit: Cardans1328
#21 I regret paying to have this bag checked… I’m still not sure how they broke both zippers, though.
Image credit: lindster
