The Bags on the Carousel Go Round & Round

Kiko's House is more or less equidistant between two major airports -- Philadelphia International and Baltimore Washington International -- but when we have to take wing, it's a no brainer as to which airport to fly out of.

US Airways is the major carrier at Philly International and it is a major mess. Yes, the airline business is cyclical and always tends toward the topsy turvy, but US Airways has taken high customer dissatisfaction and low employee morale to new heights.

At the heart of the airline's myriad problems is a dysfunctional baggage handling system.

Notes The Philadelphia Inquirer in a terrific investigative piece:

"For people who fly US Airways out of Philadelphia, there may be no scarier moment than this: the instant when their bags slip out of sight on the conveyor belt.

"Unless it's the wait for the bags to pop up on the carousel after landing.

"In between, the bags go on a perilous journey.

"On the way to the plane, they fall off carts onto the airport tarmac. Other US Airways luggage trucks drive by. Nobody stops.

"Outbound luggage circles pointlessly on US Airways' underground conveyor system while planes lift off half-loaded. Why? The system's optical scanner can't read a third of all destination tags.

"Shorthanded crews fall behind when unloading suitcases. Sometimes, it's because some US Airways baggage handlers just "rolled" another flight, their term for ducking out on the job.

"This is the world of US Airways in Philadelphia, where a demoralized workforce, decrepit and scarce equipment, and revolving-door management have combined to cripple the simple task of getting bags on and off planes."

More here.