Baggage handlers who were filmed laughing and hurling luggage onto an airport conveyor belt have been stood down by company Swissport for the "disrespectful behaviour".
The video shows three workers picking up bags from a Qantas container and throwing them onto the belt. It is believed the vision was filmed at Melbourne Airport.
The workers appear to laugh and joke as they pick the suitcases up and throw them with force.
The ABC has not been able to verify the original source of the video, which has been shared widely across multiple social media platforms and resulted in heavy criticism.
A spokesperson for Swissport confirmed late on Saturday morning "the staff in question have been stood down pending an urgent investigation".
Swissport is a multinational cargo services provider which is contracted to provide a range of services at airports, including baggage handling.
Its Australasian CEO Brad Moore confirmed the action in a note to staff, where he said the video showed "Swissport Staff handling customer luggage in an unacceptable manner".
"Disrespectful behaviour to our customer luggage and personal effects will not be tolerated and will result in serious disciplinary action. The individuals in the video have been stood down pending urgent investigation," he wrote.
"Since the video was released, I have received many messages from team members across the network, sharing these concerns and equally voicing their commitment to our Safety and Service standards. We cannot allow the actions of a very small minority to undermine the first class standards of the many."
Mr Moore said the matter would be "investigated with urgency with appropriate follow up action".
"The behaviours in the video let all of us down – most importantly our frontline staff who have worked so hard through Post CoVID ramp Up to assure quality standards in at times challenging circumstances," he said.
Qantas says workers will never touch one of its planes again
Qantas has faced union criticism in recent years for outsourcing its airport operations.
The Federal Court last year found in favour of the Transport Workers Union (TWU) against Qantas in challenging the outsourcing of about 2,000 jobs by the airline.
The airline lost an appeal against that decision in May of this year. It plans to challenge that decision in the High Court.
Monash University expert and author of Up in the Air, Greg Bamber, said employers may wish to outsource operations to cut costs, "but then they have less direct control".
Stephen Thompson, Qantas's executive manager of Australian sales, said he was "absolutely appalled" by the vision.
"The good thing is that Swissport have acted very decisively and stood those individuals down.
"And for us, those individuals will never touch a Qantas plane again."
Mr Thompson denied the behaviour was the result of outsourcing, saying "we've got procedures in place, and we work with our ground handling agents right across Australia and they follow our procedures.
"As soon as they become aware of any inappropriate behaviour they act accordingly," he said.
The video circulated ahead of the busy summer holiday period, which often sees crowded airports and packed planes.
"My advice to people who are travelling is to try and travel light and avoid checking in bags altogether," Professor Bamber said.
"Make do with as little as possible and carry it on, because there is a likelihood if you do check in your bags, that your bags may be lost or mishandled or delayed or damaged."
Air travel demand is expected to peak this year on December 23.
