I've held airline baggage handlers in very low esteem since an incident with Delta back on 2001 (try being on a cruise with no clothes).
As a musician, I've concluded that it's just not worth doing any gigs I have to fly to. Not only are professional-quality instruments expensive, but you need to have it to play the gig when you get where you're going (go figure).
A friend worked as a gate supervisor for Eastern Airlines at Newark years ago and his experiences with baggage handlers were not good. Today, with all the security at airports, it seems nobody is watching baggage handlers much.
