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Australia: Handler punished for donning camel costume
Bakersfield Californian ^
| 4/8/05
| AP - Sydney
Posted on 04/08/2005 10:22:59 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Qantas Airways Ltd. on Friday suspended a baggage handler who was caught on video opening a passenger's bag which contained a camel costume, donning the head and wandering around the airport tarmac.
The costume's owner, David Cox, said he was waiting inside the terminal at Sydney Airport earlier this week when he glanced outside and saw the baggage handler wearing his camel head.
"I obviously was flabbergasted, my jaw dropped to the ground," Cox told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio on Friday.
He said he was shocked to realize that his luggage had been tampered with, and reported the incident to the airline.
Qantas Chief Executive Geoff Dixon said a security camera had recorded the baggage handler, whose name was not immediately available, opening the bag and trying on the camel head.
He said the baggage handler had been suspended and could be fired pending further investigation.
"We are acutely aware of heightened community concerns around security of baggage," Dixon said in a statement. "What has happened is completely unacceptable and is unacceptable to the vast majority of decent, hardworking Qantas employees."
TOPICS: Australia/New Zealand; Crime/Corruption
KEYWORDS: airlinesecurity; australia; camel; costume; donning; handler; privacy; punished; qantas
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To: NormsRevenge; dighton; aculeus; BlueLancer; hellinahandcart
...he was waiting inside the terminal at Sydney Airport earlier this week when he glanced outside and saw the baggage handler wearing his camel head.
2
posted on
04/08/2005 10:24:46 AM PDT
by
general_re
("Frantic orthodoxy is never rooted in faith, but in doubt." - Reinhold Niebuhr)
To: NormsRevenge
I wonder who was wearing the kangaroo costume...
3
posted on
04/08/2005 10:25:52 AM PDT
by
SeamusVA
To: NormsRevenge
Forget American Express, don't leave home without your trusty camel costume!
4
posted on
04/08/2005 10:26:13 AM PDT
by
VRWCisme
To: general_re
He should have flown to Fiji . . . .
5
posted on
04/08/2005 10:26:29 AM PDT
by
BenLurkin
(O beautiful for patriot dream - that sees beyond the years)
To: NormsRevenge
such abuse of a highly respected and trustworthy animule!
6
posted on
04/08/2005 10:27:06 AM PDT
by
camle
(keep your mind open and somebody will fill it with something for you))
To: Owl_Eagle
You can't make this shit up.
Akmed, somebody stole my camel!!
7
posted on
04/08/2005 10:27:19 AM PDT
by
Jersey Republican Biker Chick
(People too weak to follow their own dreams, will always find a way to discourage yours.)
To: VRWCisme
i never leave home without my trusty camle costume.
8
posted on
04/08/2005 10:27:41 AM PDT
by
camle
(keep your mind open and somebody will fill it with something for you))
To: NormsRevenge
9
posted on
04/08/2005 10:28:26 AM PDT
by
nuconvert
(No More Axis of Evil by Christmas ! TLR)
To: NormsRevenge
I hate it when my camel costume gets tampered with in airports too.
10
posted on
04/08/2005 10:31:03 AM PDT
by
prairiebreeze
(Does my American flag offend you? Dial 1-800-LEAVE THE USA!)
To: NormsRevenge
This incident is already being brought up in the case of the (allegedly hot, but not really) Australian chickie who is on trial for bringing pot into Bali.
She has been claiming all along that the pot was put there by somebody else at the airport.
Here's a picture of the camel costume in question:
Hes the one on the left, for those zoologically deficient.
11
posted on
04/08/2005 10:32:56 AM PDT
by
dead
(I've got my eye out for Mullah Omar.)
To: NormsRevenge
12
posted on
04/08/2005 10:33:14 AM PDT
by
prairiebreeze
(Does my American flag offend you? Dial 1-800-LEAVE THE USA!)
To: NormsRevenge
Too funny. What was this idiot thinking when he put on the costume? Did he think the owner up above in the terminal is going to think "Oh, that's probably not MY camel costume. That baggage handler must have his own."
13
posted on
04/08/2005 10:34:49 AM PDT
by
Gator101
To: Gator101
The actual head in question in shown in Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
Worn by owner David Cox
14
posted on
04/08/2005 10:38:45 AM PDT
by
BigEdLB
(BigEd)
To: NormsRevenge
Ok, after that story I have no doubt that it IS Friday.
15
posted on
04/08/2005 10:39:45 AM PDT
by
Lee Heggy
(Sorry, I don't do Windows.)
To: BigEdLB
I hope Mr. Camelhead doesn't hang around rag-heads.....let alone bend over amongst them.
16
posted on
04/08/2005 10:41:01 AM PDT
by
bicyclerepair
(Help I'm surrounded by RATS (South. Florida))
To: NormsRevenge
Remonds me of a favorite Terry Prachett quote from
Soul Music:
There was a roar like the scream of a camel who has just seen two bricks.
17
posted on
04/08/2005 10:44:01 AM PDT
by
Jonah Hex
(Go. Hunt. Kill Skuls.)
To: NormsRevenge
He said he was shocked to realize that his luggage had been tampered with, and reported the incident to the airline "It's a sign that we're all a little nervous in the post-9/11 world." - Bill Toohey, Balitmore County Police
18
posted on
04/08/2005 10:47:21 AM PDT
by
Oztrich Boy
("He's dead. Jim.")
To: NormsRevenge
I don't even want to THINK about the bad things that could happen to your stuff at airports. The opportunity for stealing and tampering is incredible.
It amazes me, too, that there isn't more theft at baggage claim areas.
19
posted on
04/08/2005 10:50:36 AM PDT
by
PLK
To: NormsRevenge
The man won't be arrested for theft. It seems no TSA employee is ever prosecuted.
20
posted on
04/08/2005 10:51:41 AM PDT
by
shellshocked
(They're undocumented Border Patrol agents, not vigilantes.)
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