Air Canada is apologizing after a passenger posted a video online of one of the company’s baggage handlers tossing luggage off the top of a movable stairway and into a bin below.
Abbotsford resident Dwayne Stewart shot the video on his phone before a flight from Toronto’s Pearson Airport to Vancouver International Airport Thursday.
He said passengers were told flight AC137 was full, so flight attendants asked a number of people onboard to store their carry-on luggage with the rest of the bags below.
That’s when Stewart said he looked out his window to see a baggage handler tossing at least 12 pieces of luggage from the top of the stairway, which looked like an approximate six-metre drop.
“I can appreciate that that might be challenging for the baggage handlers, but I was surprised,” Stewart said. “We were quite amazed to watch that happen right in front of us.”
Many passengers can be heard wincing and moaning in the video as they watch several heavy bags being dropped into the bin.
“Well, good thing my computer’s in there,” one passenger is heard saying.
“Sorry Air Canada, this is a fail,” another passenger added.
When contacted by a reporter from CTV affiliate CP24, Air Canada issued a public apology.
“We are extremely disappointed by the actions depicted in this video. This clearly goes against our standard baggage handling procedures which dictates that gate-checked bags are to be hand-carried down to the ramp,” a company spokesperson said.
The airline said it is investigating the incident and will be in contact with Stewart.
With files from CTV Toronto
