A woman’s warning to travelers to invest in a luggage cover after witnessing the way luggage was handled at an airport has gone viral on TikTok.

The video of a baggage handler was posted by 22-year-old Anna Woodring (@annacwoodring), a trained hairdresser and content creator from Florida who “works moonlighting as a waitress at a fine-dining restaurant,” she said. News week. The clip has been viewed 12.4 million times since it was first posted on August 6.

The video was shot on a Southwest Airlines flight from Chicago Midway International Airport to Denver International Airport.

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A message superimposed on the video reads: “This is your cue to buy this luggage cover.” From an airplane window, Woodring filmed the rough handling of suitcases, which prompted her to issue a cautionary advice to viewers about the importance of a luggage cover. The video also shows what appear to be scratch marks on the outside of a yellow suitcase.

Woodring said Newsweek: “I had never really thought about why checked baggage always looked battered until I looked out the window on the plane and saw how it was handled.

“I’ve only used this suitcase once before and had to check it on three different flights. After the third flight, it looked even worse and I may have to get a whole new suitcase,” she added.

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Newsweek has emailed Southwest Airlines for comment.

According to the latest Air Travel Consumer Report, released in July by the U.S. Department of Transportation, 250,348 pieces of baggage were “mishandled” in May on ten major U.S. airlines, including Southwest.

Luggage cover vs. more durable suitcase

According to Woodring, Monos – the company behind the suitcase of the poster tagged in the post – offered to send a replacement in response to her viral video. Woodring recommends that travelers invest in a luggage cover, especially if they’re concerned about the appearance of their suitcase, and travel experts seem to agree.

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Victor Tam, co-founder and CEO of Monos, said Newsweek that it’s a matter of priorities and travel habits. “Investing in quality luggage is generally the better long-term solution,” he said. Polycarbonate suitcases are lightweight yet sturdy and offer exceptional shock resistance — a necessary feature when luggage cannot be handled personally, he noted.

While a luggage cover doesn’t necessarily add durability, Tam admits it’s a practical and cost-effective option that helps preserve a suitcase’s aesthetic “if you’re not ready to invest in new luggage or want to extend the life of your current suitcase.”

Richard Krulik, CEO of British luggage brand Briggs & Riley, made similar comments. Newsweek that a luggage cover “may not protect against baggage malfunction if handled incorrectly” and that it is “better to invest in a more durable piece of luggage” designed to withstand harsh conditions, such as “being tossed around in the airport or on the tarmac”.

This ensures a long service life and is ultimately “more cost-effective” than constantly replacing damaged luggage, he said.

“If a traveler really wants to protect their luggage, they should purchase a durable piece of luggage and also purchase a luggage cover for additional protection against these cosmetic damages,” Krulik added.

Woodring said Newsweek: “I completely understand how hard this job (baggage handler) is and am so grateful to the people who step up and lift such heavy suitcases. However, it is people’s personal belongings that we entrust to the airline when we let them go and it would be nice if they were looked after a little better.

“All I’m saying is that if you care about the look of your suitcase, you should definitely get a suitcase cover. Next time I choose a lighter colored suitcase, I’ll definitely invest in a suitcase cover,” she added.

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