Luggage, tbh, has got a lot better. If you travel regularly you assume the worst and pack on that basis. I often check in my bag because I can't be bothered lugging it around the airport. I use a hard-shell, and yes, it wears its baggage handling scars with a degree of pride. It's not often it gets lost these days (what does it look like sir? A suitcase, that's what) and they often look online and declare, that yes, we've found your case, sir, no need to worry. In Bogota. It'll be back in a week, after it's seen the sights and tried the local cuisine. Security theatre is tedious but it is what it is, just have your stuff ready to go, and expect some gruff person to tell you 'no not that' or 'leave the laptop in the bag.'
I got the Eurostar the other week to Lyon, generally more civilised, sitting there, some good tunes and a book watching the tapestry of France scroll by. The only annoyance was on the way back having to get off, with bags, in Lille so we could go through security and passport control, and then line up to get back on the train.