No idea what you think flying is all about these days, Cockney, but if you turned up with a box at any of my staffs check in desks you'll get asks the same safety questions as anyone else and then be sent to drop the box off at the out of gauge bag area.
No forms, no special procedure, no arguments, just my staff doing what they are trained to do...get your baggage on the plane. I accept some airlines or handling agents may have more detailed procedures than the people I work for, but as far as we are concerned, if you carry a box then you put it down the out of gauge belt to protect it and it's contents. I've never had a passenger complain about that.
I don't even see what's "jobsworth" about doing stuff the way it's meant to be done. If an airline has a procedure for dealing with boxes and you enter an agreement with that airline (which you do when you buy your ticket) then you abide by their rules and regulations or you and your baggage don't travel with said airline. Quite why you think anyone should ignore rules when working is beyond me, especially in the aviation industry! To most people their job is literally worth more to them than not following the procedures they have been trained to follow! Not exactly a great time to be unemployed is it?!