California airport sparks online frenzy with peculiar hardware auction

Oakland International Airport has listed more than a dozen small baggage tugs for auction at about $750 each, prompting social media users to joke about buying and repurposing the unusual vehicles. The listings appear to be part of a routine fleet retirement, but the online reaction has turned the sale into a source of amusement and practical ideas.

The tugs are older models, including some from 2008, and typically travel at only 4 to 15 mph, depending on the model and power source. Similar airport equipment is also being auctioned elsewhere, including baggage tractors in Boise for about $500 and a diesel cargo loader in Indiana for $4,500; one owner said a tug had been converted into a snowplough.