Airline baggage handlers operate under extreme time constraints and are often instructed to load hundreds of heavy suitcases into the belly of an aircraft in less than thirty…

A closer look

Airline baggage handlers operate under extreme time constraints and are often instructed to load hundreds of heavy suitcases into the belly of an aircraft in less than thirty minutes, which means they are absolutely going to throw, kick, and drop your luggage. Slapping a bright red fragile sticker on your overpriced hardshell suitcase is essentially a running joke on the tarmac, as automated conveyor belts and exhausted humans do not have the time to treat your belongings like a delicate treasure. Your bag is going to be squashed under hundreds of pounds of other people's stuff regardless of how much expensive bubble wrap you used. If you truly care about an item surviving a cross-country trip, you should shove it in your carry-on bag and guard it with your actual life