On March 16, a baggage handler at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) was filmed tossing guitars onto the concrete floor while unloading a luggage cart, according to multiple reports. Witness Nick Ruiz, a 21-year-old college student from Connecticut flying home after a short vacation, filmed the incident and uploaded the footage to TikTok, where it garnered over 4 million views and over 365,000 likes. The closest plane to where the guitars were tossed was a JFK to LAX B777 flight that had just arrived, and Ruiz ended up on that same plane.
It remains unknown whether the baggage handler faced any disciplinary action, the identity and current status of that handler, or the condition and ownership of the guitars. Separately, Thomas Jesse Bingham, a 35-year-old man from Melbourne, Australia, was arrested after allegedly assaulting a TSA agent at LAX on March 15, according to multiple reports. Bingham allegedly assaulted the agent because he mistakenly believed the agent had taken his backpack and passport.
The alleged assault involved Bingham grabbing the agent's uniform, yanking his ID lanyard, pulling his hair, and slamming him into a parked United Airlines golf cart and a glass wall. The TSA agent reported pain in his hand and back and sought medical attention. Airport police found Bingham's bag and passport at a restaurant in Terminal 7 that he had visited earlier.
Bingham was initially arrested, released, and then arrested again on Monday as he was preparing to board a flight to the United Kingdom. He pleaded not guilty to a federal charge of assault on a federal officer resulting in bodily injury. Bingham's arraignment is scheduled for April 13 in Los Angeles, with a tentative trial on May 12.
If convicted, he faces up to eight years in prison, and he surrendered his passport. Most airlines have specific policies for instruments in their 'Contract of Carriage,' and some disclaim liability for damage to musical instruments on domestic trips, according to the Department of Transportation. LAX is California's busiest airport, servicing over 5 million passengers monthly.