Yeah, they certainly are pretty uncaring with luggage, especially some of the less reputable airlines.
A few years back, a few of us were in the airport at Kupang (Timor) flying back to Bali on Merpati airlines (internal version of Garuda, in Indo) after a boat trip and we watched from inside the departure lounge as the baggage handlers were pulling a trolley of luggage out across the tarmac. It was insanely overloaded and all our boards had just been thrown haphazardly on top and were about 10 feet off the ground. One of the Americans on our trip watched in horror as his brand new Al Merrick gun blew off the top of the pile and bounced end over end down the runway in the afternoon trade winds. The handlers didn't blink, just calmly walked after it and then proceeded to try throwing it up on top of the pile of boards. It was blown off about 4 times (and bounced down the runway each time) before they managed to get it stay up there. Needless to say, he was going berserk, but all he could do was just stare through the windows at it. The board was a mess at the other end. No recompense was forthcoming from the airline.
Hope itwas one the way home after the trip !!.. Travel insurance ???
