Even my 86-year-old never-learned-to-ride-a-bike Mom sent me a link to this video because I fly with United so often (they're the US arm of the Star Alliance, which also includes SAS, which is my link from Norway to the world outside). She too was concerned about what they might be doing to my bike. Well, I did actually see my bike being off-loaded last trip, not by United folks but by SAS in Copenhagen on my way to SFO via Chicago. I was pretty nervous about it because my bike crate is a soft-sided one (the Pica Packworks EEP), but the handlers were really nice with it. Maybe it's something about the pack itself that just fits with good handling -- lightweight, well-padded, handles where they need them, fits neatly upright at the back of the luggage trolley. My bike was the first item off, so must've been last on. They stood it upright at the back of the trolley, then set a big suitcase in front of it to stabilize it, then filled the rest of the trolley, but nothing tossed and nothing on top of the bike. At some point on the way home again there must've been something heavy on top of the bike because one of the wheel spindle thingies was bent, but no major damage. Took me just a quick visit to the LBS to get that replaced.