Summary
- A man disguised as luggage was taken to the check-in counter at Miami airport, confusing onlookers.
- Weighing approximately 199 pounds, the carrier was well over LATAM Airlines’ weight limit of up to 99.2 pounds.
- The video of the man bag was shared on Instagram by a citizen journalism account, Only in Dade.
Many things are not allowed in checked luggage on flights, but can people be taken on a plane as checked baggage? Well, sometimes it’s worth a try. A video just surfaced on social media of a man dressed as luggage hopping around Miami International Airport. However, it seems that the airline has seen through the ruse and is letting the suitcase hop home.
Baggage drop-off for men
At around 10pm on August 27, a man, tightly wrapped in luggage wrap, hopped to the LATAM Airlines check-in counter. The porter was accompanied by a supposed passenger. The supposed passenger helped him guide his bouncing luggage to the baggage drop counter, where he went to the barcode scanner to check in his bouncy baggage for the LATAM flight. The man’s suitcase then sat on the scales while onlookers gawked in disbelief.
It’s unclear how much the man’s suitcase weighed, but the average weight of an adult male in the United States is 199 pounds. That could make the man’s suitcase about twice the maximum weight allowed for checked baggage. While most airlines (like American Airlines) only allow up to 50 pounds for individual bags, LATAM Airlines allows bags up to 99.2 pounds per piece. In any case, 199 pounds is likely well over what airport staff are allowed to lift for safety reasons.
Photo: Miguel Lagoa | Shutterstock
The video was shared on Instagram by Only in Dade – a comedy social media account. The Only in Dade profile states:Citizen journalism 🗞️ The good 😎 The bad 😳 The funny.“The video was posted with the caption: “What on earth is going on here??”
The Dikko affair
While the wrapped man in Maimi may have been a gag, there have been serious attempts to check people in as baggage on flights. According to the BBC, Nigeria’s government was overthrown in a coup in 1983, after which former Transport Minister Dikko fled to London. He was dubbed “Nigeria’s most wanted man” after being accused of embezzling $1 billion in public funds.
The Nigerians hatched a plan to kidnap him and bring him back to Nigeria to face justice for his crimes. In 1984, they enlisted the help of former Israeli Mossad agents and injected him with a narcotic before putting him in a box. They called the box a “diplomatic bag” and attempted to load it onto a Nigerian Airways 707 at Stansted Airport. Airport officials are not allowed to open diplomatic bags. However, the paperwork was incorrect and the box was not marked as a “diplomatic bag” as required.
Photo: Wirestock Creators | Shutterstock
Airport staff were suspicious and opened the “diplomatic bag”. In two boxes they found Dikko and the Israeli anesthetist. A Nigerian intelligence officer and three Israelis were sentenced to prison in the UK. The incident sparked a diplomatic row between Nigeria and the UK.
