Southwest Airplanes are HEAVY!!

[DawnCt]

I just received a distraught call from the airport from my DS who just returned from his WDW vacation on Southwest. Somehow, and I have yet to have this explained to me, his luggage got ran over by a plane! The suitcase is literally cut in half, all of his clothes except a silk shirt (who knows why that survived) are shredded. His Oakley sunglasses are in pieces and his film rolls (which should have been in a carryon) are flattened. This happened on the run way in Orlando. In the end, this may make the entire vacation even more memorable!

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

"So did the airline lose your luggage?"

"Oh no, they found it all right... they ran it over!!"

LOL... I do feel bad for whoever this happened to... however, it is slightly humorous...

 

[Aisling]

That's pretty scary. Was the luggage on the runway? If so, how in the world did it get in the path of the plane, dropped off the luggage transport? This kind of thing makes me a bit uncomfortable with the airlines, that they just aren't as careful as they should be. I know it's not serious, but these things just aren't supposed to happen.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

My guess is that it was near the terminal... and you know how those luggage trains are always whipping around the area... the driver probably took a corner too fast, and it wasn't secured onto the cart, and it fell off... and then the plane hit a speed bump while taxi'ing (sp?) down the runway...

 

[sgtdisney]

The plane weighs around 160,000 to 170,000 pounds when loaded and ready for departure. I am surprised the luggage wasn't pulverized... I hope that the airline will be reimbursing your son...

 

[DawnCt]

Originally posted by Chip 'n Dale Express
"So did the airline lose your luggage"

"Oh no, they found it all right... they ran it over!!"

LOL... I do feel bad for whoever this happened to... however, it is slightly humorous...

Well so far, they gave him a new piece of luggage right at the airport. Its was my original destroyed suitcase so I hope the replacement is nice. Two pair of Oakley sunglasses are missing. One belongs to him and the other to his brother. Not even the pieces are in the suitcase so it makes me wonder if they actually survived the "accident" and a member of the clean up crew rescued them for himself. Or perhaps they were so pulverized that they weren't worth picking up. No one quite knows what happened. They don't know if the luggage fell off of the tram and was actually crushed by a plane. They don't know if it got caught in a conveyer and was destroyed or at least they aren't telling. He made a lost damage list, came home and called me for the value of some clothing he bought and has tried to call the number back but the phone is busy. He was told that he has four hours to amend the report so rather than deal with a busy phone, he drove back to the airport. I am still waiting to hear what they are going to do. I do hope I like my new suitcase. And I disagree that it is slightly humorous. I think it is very funny...except for the lost pictures he took. He shouldn't have had them in his checked bag however.

 

[Disneymooners]

I think I'll pack half my clothes in my bag and half in my New Hubbies bag.......... just in case


One never knows................do they

Disneymooners

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by DawnCt
And I disagree that it is slightly humorous. I think it is very funny...except for the lost pictures he took. He shouldn't have had them in his checked bag however.

It's always good to have a sense of humor during situations like this!

 

[keithomas]

We once had all of our luggage lost by the defunct Frontier Airlines while returning home from a ski vacation in Utah. We had a connection in Denver, which had been closed for 3 days, but had finally opened. Our flight was delayed 8 hours and our connection delayed 8 hrs and 10 minutes. We made it, but our luggage went on to St. Louis and Minneapolis. (we were headed to Houston) They DID find it and returned it to Houston and since almost everyone on the plane had the same problem, offered to deliver it the next day to our home. Their wonderfully intelligent driver left the keys in the truck while filling up with gas and the truck (full of 'lost luggage') was stolen and never seen again!!!

 

[madcoco]

DawnCtSorry it happened.Maybe if it was Samsonite it would have been intact.You sure it was a plane and not a Gorilla?They were known at one time, to get quite hostile around luggage.

 

[CarolA]

I had one of those garmet bags that the manufacturer say CANNOT be destroyed. Well... Delta drug it behind the luggage cart. Yep! It could be destroyed!

Delta did give me $300 for a new piece of luggage. (They do normally give nice luggage, but I was at a smaller airport without luggage in storeage!)

 

[goofy4tink]

While sitting there, waiting for the plane to get all the baggage loaded on....the people sitting behind us starting getting really excited. Seems that the lady's luggage was sitting there, on the ground. Another piece, and we can't figure out how this happened, was on the wing!!! We were sitting there howling. Her husband finally got up to speak to the attendent. SHe didn't believe him, so had to look. Her response..."OH MY!!" Off she goes. It took them 10 more minutes to get the stuff taken care of. Or there was the time I was listening on the headphones(back when you still could) while we were taxiing up the runway. There was an alert to the pilots that there was some luggage on the runway! Please try to avoid! Well...my question was...why didn't they just have someone drive out and remove it??? It all makes you wonder.

 

[DawnCt]

The luggage that was destroyed was Samsonite. Southwest replaced it with a very nice piece of American Tourister. I really like it better than the one I had. I faxed the rest of the claim to them today so I will keep you all posted as to the outcome.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Dawn,
If by some minor miracle the film canisters were not opened, they can still be developed. The film does not care if it is flat or rolled.
I am sorry this happened, but, I do confess, I had a bit of a chuckle about this. Tell me it wasn't Chris.

 

[DawnCt]

Originally posted by GAIL HAYDEN
Dawn,
. Tell me it wasn't Chris.

I wish I could tell you that it wasn't Chris...but it was! I am going to drop the film off for him. There may be salvagable parts. You can see cracks in the tops of the canisters. thanks,

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

I wish I could tell you that it wasn't Chris...but it was!

Ah, Chris!!!! The very one who put the gun he bought from outside of Pirates into his carry on after both you and I told him not too. LOL Caused a bit of confusion getting it on the plane. (G).
We need to make him a list of stuff for the carry on and for the checked. In writing.