Narrative:

The aircraft to ZZZ had a mechanical when we arrived. The mechanical was to be fixed in ZZZ1 and the aircraft was signed off for one-time ferry flight to ZZZ1; continuing on to ZZZ2 from there. In attempting to coordination with ground support personnel for fuel; release and clearing of aircraft for pushback; as usual; there becomes a task of ramming one's head into a stone wall; on most occasions. Finally; with effort; we received fuel and release to ZZZ1. Myself and the first officer spoke with ground personnel about closing cargo doors and pushing back to depart and be out of the way. Ground personnel did close cargo doors and verified no cargo on board. We were cleared to depart and they pushed us back. We arrived in ZZZ1 and maintenance met us in remote to change out mechanical part on flight deck; sign off logbooks and even brought us our release. This process took approximately 20 mins and we were on our way to ZZZ2 arriving without incident. As we secured aircraft for overnight and postflt; the ramp personnel in ZZZ2 advised us we had luggage in aft cargo. We had no clue; as departure station assured us there was nothing there. This could have caused serious weight/balance issues; as we had no idea there was any weight in aft cargo. This; in turn; could cause an imbal and serious handling problems; especially if there had been adverse WX and winds. We; unfortunately; deal with departure station a lot and it is a major problem in all aspects of ramp handling; delaying; and even canceling flts. But; this situation is just dangerous and their lack of professionalism and responsibility is going to cause someone to get hurt or worse.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ700 FLT CREW IS CONCERNED WITH WT AND BAL DUE TO UNRPTED BAGGAGE IN THE AFT BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT.

Narrative: THE ACFT TO ZZZ HAD A MECHANICAL WHEN WE ARRIVED. THE MECHANICAL WAS TO BE FIXED IN ZZZ1 AND THE ACFT WAS SIGNED OFF FOR ONE-TIME FERRY FLT TO ZZZ1; CONTINUING ON TO ZZZ2 FROM THERE. IN ATTEMPTING TO COORD WITH GND SUPPORT PERSONNEL FOR FUEL; RELEASE AND CLRING OF ACFT FOR PUSHBACK; AS USUAL; THERE BECOMES A TASK OF RAMMING ONE'S HEAD INTO A STONE WALL; ON MOST OCCASIONS. FINALLY; WITH EFFORT; WE RECEIVED FUEL AND RELEASE TO ZZZ1. MYSELF AND THE FO SPOKE WITH GND PERSONNEL ABOUT CLOSING CARGO DOORS AND PUSHING BACK TO DEPART AND BE OUT OF THE WAY. GND PERSONNEL DID CLOSE CARGO DOORS AND VERIFIED NO CARGO ON BOARD. WE WERE CLRED TO DEPART AND THEY PUSHED US BACK. WE ARRIVED IN ZZZ1 AND MAINT MET US IN REMOTE TO CHANGE OUT MECHANICAL PART ON FLT DECK; SIGN OFF LOGBOOKS AND EVEN BROUGHT US OUR RELEASE. THIS PROCESS TOOK APPROX 20 MINS AND WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO ZZZ2 ARRIVING WITHOUT INCIDENT. AS WE SECURED ACFT FOR OVERNIGHT AND POSTFLT; THE RAMP PERSONNEL IN ZZZ2 ADVISED US WE HAD LUGGAGE IN AFT CARGO. WE HAD NO CLUE; AS DEP STATION ASSURED US THERE WAS NOTHING THERE. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS WT/BAL ISSUES; AS WE HAD NO IDEA THERE WAS ANY WT IN AFT CARGO. THIS; IN TURN; COULD CAUSE AN IMBAL AND SERIOUS HANDLING PROBS; ESPECIALLY IF THERE HAD BEEN ADVERSE WX AND WINDS. WE; UNFORTUNATELY; DEAL WITH DEP STATION A LOT AND IT IS A MAJOR PROB IN ALL ASPECTS OF RAMP HANDLING; DELAYING; AND EVEN CANCELING FLTS. BUT; THIS SITUATION IS JUST DANGEROUS AND THEIR LACK OF PROFESSIONALISM AND RESPONSIBILITY IS GOING TO CAUSE SOMEONE TO GET HURT OR WORSE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.