Video shows how Japanese baggage handlers unload luggage from plane - and people are praising them

Baggage handlers have a bad rep. Some have been caught stealing from luggage while loading them onto the plane, while others have been seen manhandling suitcases during unloading.

While some passengers don't mind it, as we all know suitcases are meant for tossing, others might be quite particular with the way their luggage is handled. But these passengers who flew with Japanese airline carrier ANA probably have nothing to worry about.

Facebook user Nihongo Wakaranai posted a video last Thursday (Feb 1) of two ANA ground staff unloading luggage from a flight at Chubu Centrair International Airport in Nagoya, Japan.

"Caught on film at the airport in Japan shows how the Japanese really treat your suitcase... often better than yourself," he wrote.

[embed]https://www.facebook.com/nihongowakaranai/videos/590519447957742[/embed]

The 3-minute video shows the staff gently and meticulously arranging each suitcase onto the back of the truck to be transported to the airport terminal. There was no rough handling and a staff member is seen personally handing over a piece of luggage to another staff to load onto the truck. 

The video has since gone viral with over 1.8 million views and 41,000 shares. 

The online community praised the staff for showing respect to the passengers' belongings, for taking pride in their work, and for showing good and caring service for others to follow.

A spokesperson for ANA told AsiaOne: "We are thrilled to have our hard work recognised by the public.

"ANA is committed to exceptional customer service, we prioritize our passengers’ experiences at every step along their journey - from selecting travel plans, to providing award winning Five Star service onboard and ensuring luggage seamlessly meets our passengers at their final destination."

Facebook user Haikal Khan even compared their service to Singapore's:

Other netizens also had good things to say:

Coincidentally, just one day after this video was posted on Facebook, Mirror UK reported Ryanair and easyJet handlers who were caught on camera for casually tossing suitcases onto a conveyor belt. 

The passenger filming the incident was angered by what he saw and claimed to have made a report.

In his post he wrote: "Want to see what happens to your luggage @BristolAirport? Watch this video taken on 28 Dec 2017 of @swissport staff in action. I made a complaint a month ago and had no response at all from @swissport @easyjet."

[embed]https://twitter.com/ianjarvis99/status/958534566763008003[/embed]

In another incident, two airport workers at the Phuket International Airport were arrested in January over the theft of passengers' belongings. 

They were caught on video stealing items from a luggage of a passenger of a Jetstar Airways flight in October last year. The baggage handler was seen opening the luggage while loading it onto the aircraft parked on the tarmac.

A similiar incident also happened at Rome's Fiumicino Airport.

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But it seems like not all baggage handlers are the same and other airport staff can probably learn a thing or two from those who work at the Japan airports.

klim@sph.com.sg