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Phoenix Southwest baggage handler caught on camera chucking cargo

Southwest said in a statement that it reached out to customers whose packages were involved and said it hadn't yet heard of any damaged luggage.

PHOENIX — A Phoenix man caught shocking video of a Southwest Airlines employee throwing around passenger luggage and cargo on a recent flight that landed in Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.

Loudin Krueg, who had luggage with camera equipment as he's a filmmaker, got his cell phone out and hit record when he saw some of the boxes the employee was throwing were labeled “live tropical fish.”

“When I saw him throwing a live animal around, I was like this is more serious than my camera," Loudin said. "This is something that's supposed to be someone’s pet, so that's what go to me."

12 News wasn’t able to confirm whether live fish were actually inside the boxes, but they weren’t the only thing he was worried about.

Loudin was returning from shooting a film in Puerto Rico and had expensive camera equipment in his checked bags.

“Luckily, we packed them in some pretty hefty stuff, but you get worried, when you have $100,000 of stuff sitting under a plane and this guy's throwing it 15 feet in the air,” he said.

Southwest Airlines sent 12 News the following statement.

The video is deeply concerning. We expect our Employees to treat all Customers’ luggage and cargo as they would their own. We will work with the Employee to retrain on policies and procedures to prevent this type of handling again.

We are reaching out to those Customers whose shipments were involved and so far have been assured their Cargo shipments were not damaged.”

Loudin said he did not want to get the baggage handler fired, but thinks it's a good step that he will be retrained on procedures.

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