‘Don’t tell me how to do my job’: A Southwest passenger asked an employee not to throw her fragile bag. Then she says the worker did it anyway

A TikTok user who posts as @laldyl shared a video from a Southwest Airlines check-in counter that she said showed an employee tossing her bag after she asked that it be handled with care. The TikTok clip, labeled PT.1, had drawn about 155,600 views. Her caption used the hashtags #southwestairlines and #houston and described a short exchange at the counter.

In the caption, she wrote that she asked the worker not to throw the bag because it held items that could break. She said the employee answered, “you dont tell me how to do my job.” That reply is the line used in the headline as “Don’t tell me how to do my job.” On-screen text in the video repeated the same complaint.

The first video shows a woman in a Southwest blue and black uniform standing behind the check-in desk. She lifts a piece of luggage and then drops or throws it onto the conveyor belt with force, according to the footage. As the bag lands, the overlay “Ah!” appears. The words “Wow” and “Someone’s mad” also flash on screen.

Southwest lists separate rules for reporting damaged bags

@laldyl later posted a second clip on TikTok labeled PT.2 that she said continued the same incident. In that video, a check-in agent wearing a black shirt and glasses bends over and pushes or throws a bag onto the belt so that it slides away. She then handles another bag in the same rough way, as the footage shows.

A man in a light-colored shirt stands nearby and watches. The agent walks to another part of the counter, looks toward the passenger, and returns to moving bags. The on-screen text again states that the passenger asked the worker not to throw the bag because it contained breakable items, and that the worker said the passenger did not get to tell her how to do her job. 

Southwest Airlines’ help center page on delayed, lost, or damaged baggage says customers who believe a checked bag was damaged must report it in person at a Baggage Service Office in the claim area or at the ticket counter. If they have already left the airport, the airline says they should return with the bag.

For domestic trips, the page says customers must notify the airline no later than 24 hours after the flight arrived or after they received the bag, whichever applies. The same page states that Southwest is not liable for manufacturer defects or for minor damage it calls normal wear and tear, such as cuts, scratches, scuffs, stains, dents, punctures, marks, and dirt. It also says the airline is not liable for carry-on bags or for items inside a bag it considers overstuffed.

For delayed bags on domestic itineraries, the airline says customers must notify it within four hours of arrival or of receiving the bag. It tells customers they can file a report in person, scan a QR code at the office, or file online after they leave. Once a bag is found, Southwest says it is sent to a contracted courier and can be tracked online if the customer opts in for updates.

Viewers left a range of comments under the videos. One person wrote, “I hope she got fired! For real!” Another said, “The fatigue is real.” A third commenter wrote, “That’s on purpose.” Some called for wider attention. One wrote, “This needs to go viral and she needs to be fired!!!!” Others treated the handling as routine. One commenter said, “The baggage handlers throw luggage all the time.” 

Another wrote, “This is very normal. Your breakables should be in your carry on. Also don’t buy cheap garbage luggage. Hope this helps.” A further commenter stated, “that’s why I don’t fly Southwest.” Southwest’s policies can lead to customer frustration, such as when a traveler paid for extra legroom only to find the seats unavailable.