Over the past few years, several Air Canada flyers have shared photos and videos of their damaged checked-in luggage, blaming the airline for irresponsible handling.

Traveller Sarabeth, whose TikTok handle is @ilovesarabeth, posted a video on April 3, 2024, alleging that her suitcase was destroyed on an Air Canada flight.

"Air Canada, YOU CHEWED MY SUITCASE??????" her caption reads. The video shows a severely damaged red suitcase. The shell is cracked, revealing folded clothing items inside, and the outer shell looks burnt.

"I am never flying Air Canada again. I get off my flight and go to the belt to get my suitcase, and it comes out like this," Sarabeth says in the voiceover.

@ilovesarabeth @Air Canada ♬ original sound - Sarabeth 🦈

"How did this even happen? Did they AirDrop it? Why is it burnt?!" the frustrated passenger asks.

"I couldn't even get it out of the airport because there was no handle, and the wheels didn't work. I had to carry it. This thing is cooked, bro."

The video had close to 90kviews at the time of this article, with commenters upset on behalf of the poster but enjoying her hilarious delivery.

"Did they feed it through the engine?" one person asked. "They used it as landing gear," another jested.

Others shared theories about what could have happened to the suitcase: It could have been sitting in a hot cargo area, tugged and dragged under the luggage cart or caught in a conveyor belt.

Details of Sarabeth's flight are unknown, though she and Air Canada have been contacted for comment on the incident.

Air Canada’s damaged bag policy

The airline has a policy for damaged bags, asking passengers to report damage as soon as possible — ideally, at the airport.

"The important thing to remember is that you'll need to advise us of the damage within seven days of receiving your bags," Air Canada’s help page reads.

Once you report your damaged bag to one of its agents, Air Canada creates a file with your bag/flight and contact details and asks you to submit images and descriptions of the bag, along with any receipts.

"We'll then ensure your satisfaction by either replacing your bag or seeing to its repair," the website reads.

Passengers with damaged bags are advised to keep the bag until their claim is finalized. They have 60 days to have the baggage assessed, repaired or replaced.

"They would have given you money and a new bag — that's what happened to me when it broke my suitcase. Just tell [them] how much it costs. Get your money," one person wrote under the video.

"[Air Canada's] customer service is pretty good. Contact them, and you will probably get compensated well," another said. "It happened to me, and they just sent me a check for the value of the luggage."

Past baggage issues on Air Canada

In 2022, marketing coordinator Casey Dubyk dealt with delayed luggage while flying with the carrier.

When her bag finally arrived, she realized it had a gaping hole and that her clothes were shredded.

That same year, another Air Canada customer flying from Vancouver to Miami shared images of her silver luggage on Instagram.

Realtor Carly Chadwick's expensive Rimowa shell suitcase was dropped in Miami, and she didn't see it again until she got to the Vancouver Airport luggage carousel. Thankfully, as far as Chadwick could tell, nothing inside was damaged.

"I think that's because the shell of the baggage, although severely damaged, is also quite strong. So YAY Rimowa!"

Photo from Carly Chadwick showing the extent to which her suitcase was damaged while in Air Canada's care.

Earlier this month, B.C.-based travel nurse Hanna McCormick said she was on a flight from Vancouver to Nanaimo on April 9 when she looked out the window and panicked.

Her suitcase was sitting on the tarmac alone while her flight took off.

Once she landed in Nanaimo, she went to the Air Canada desk and "started crying."

McCormick spoke to the Air Canada attendant about the situation, and they urgently requested that the suitcase be put on the next flight.

Luckily, it all worked out, and she got her luggage back the same day without any damage.

Have you had any newsworthy bad flight experiences recently? Feel free to share them with us.