Baggage handler confirms exactly how your luggage is loaded onto the plane

Most people expect their bags to be tossed and thrown around by baggage handlers and within the underbelly of an plane. But a new TikTok video has shed light on how luggage is handled and stored within an aircraft.

The process to load the hold compartment of one plane with 115 luggage items is less automated than some may have anticipated. Even more surprisingly, it is led by a single baggage handler, and not a team. The footage was posted from the account jacksflightclub, which regularly shares travel tips, tricks and insights. The video is sped up and set to a jazzy high-beat song to show a single baggage handler sits in the hold of an airplane stacking bags. The bags roll into the claustrophobia-inducing space on a single-track conveyor belt.

Careful not to box himself in, the baggage handler can be seen strategically stacking each bag within the cramped quarters of the plane with care. The bags roll in one after the other and can be seen lining the curved interior of the aircraft.

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While the video being sped up makes the process look easy, or even like a fun challenge, this job is no joke. Stacking the bags clearly requires a healthy amount of strength and stamina. In fact, at the very start of the video you can see the baggage handler preparing for the arduous task with a few push-ups. Part way through the video, the individual is also clearly in need of a break, seen lying over the conveyor belt for a quick rest.

Another interesting aspect of the video is that it seems great care is taken not keep the luggage tags visible and intact. That said, it’s important to remember that adding a ribbon to your luggage is not ideal according to some baggage handlers.

One baggage handler from Dublin Airport cautioned travellers not to add a ribbon to their bags for easy identification. The airport employee, named John, explained: "Ribbons people tie onto their suitcases to help identify them can cause issues with the bag being scanned in the baggage hall."

John also warned that if the luggage fails to be scanned automatically, it might be diverted to manual processing, raising the risk of it not making it onto the plane. In a final tip, he urges flyers to "take old stickers off the bag" as they can "confusion with the scanning process". The jacksflightclub TikTok video was positively received, finally giving people an opportunity to see the carriage of an airplane but also sparking a newfound appreciation for baggage handlers. A job that is often given a bad rep because of social media videos showing bags being thrown around and mishandled.

In fact, one recent stunt by a baggage handler has gone viral for being ‘stupid and vain’ as described by a judge. The 23 year-old baggage handler, Preslie GinoskI, shared a shirtless video of himself doing push-ups and flexing after climbing into a plane turbine in Sydney.