While I hate to hear of any damage or loss via any shipping company, as a person who has shipped all over the world in all forms of transport, the number (percentage) of loss and/or damage is really quite small considering the number of packages that are in the system on any given day. I don't have any concrete figures, but my guess would be way less than 1%.... I have lost packages over the 40 years I was in the shipping industry and many never recovered... some were... I lost a 6,000 lbs paper cutting machine in Brazil... it was in a crate 6' x 8' x 8'... I flew it to Sao Paulo and according to the airlines, it never arrived... however, I never got a claim from the consignee, so I really suspect it "drifted" out the door under some guise of payment to the airlines clerk so the consignee could avoid customs...
Knowing how a lot of the automated sort systems work, likely the advice to not use padded envelopes is a good idea... however, many many thousands travel the system daily with no problems... it just may have been Jon's turn in the barrel...
Jon, sorry for your loss... I've had a couple of blanks from Roy so I know the value of your loss...