“Maybe he’s a drummer”: Outrage sparked as viral video shows airport baggage handler throwing guitar cases to the tarmac
A video taken by a passenger onboard a plane at Los Angeles International Airport showing a baggage handler throwing guitar cases to the ground has gone viral.
The footage has been seen by millions, with 4.1 million views on TikTok alone. It’s also made the rounds on Instagram, where a number of musicians have commented in outrage. This isn’t the first time an incident like this has occurred, as a number of other artists have faced damage to their instruments over the years following flights, including Emily Wolfe, Madi Diaz, Pete Thorn, and more.
READ MORE: “I can’t wait to throw it through a Marshall”: Richie Sambora reunites with long-lost Gibson Explorer after 40 years
You can watch the footage below, but beware, it will make you wince. Touring guitarist Chris LaPlante comments, “first time I’ve wanted something to be AI”, while another user on TikTok comments, “was he kicked out of the band?” Others are questioning, does he hate music, or is he just a drummer? It seems we will never know.
@goyamariacookie
I hope your guitars are ok #LAX #losangeles #airport #guitartok
♬ Cumbia Buena – Grupo La Cumbia
View this post on Instagram
Nick Ruiz, who captured the footage, has spoken to Need To Know, and says, “The whole situation felt wrong. My instinct was to start filming.”
At the time of writing, LAX has not commented publicly on the viral footage.
A number of musicians have argued that it is better to pay for a seat for your guitar – Joe Bonamassa has also spoken about doing so – but with many touring musicians on a tight budget, it’s not always possible.
Emily Wolfe called out Southwest Airlines after her signature Epiphone White Wolfe guitar had its headstock “completely broken off” following a flight in August last year.
In a post on Instagram, she explained how she followed every guideline for traveling with an instrument: it was in a hard-shell flight case, checked in properly, and was labelled with fragile stickers.
When she first filed a report at the airport, she was first told the airline was not responsible for anything inside the case and that instruments are considered “fragile items.” After posting about her experience online, the airline eventually reached out and agreed to cover the damages.
The post “Maybe he’s a drummer”: Outrage sparked as viral video shows airport baggage handler throwing guitar cases to the tarmac appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Source: www.guitar-bass.net
