Probably in a backpack or suitcase or something. I travel with iPads and have never had a problem because I’m careful not to risk them ending up that way.
I once worked as a tech at an Apple Store and I would have said that it takes considerable force to bend them and wouldn’t cover it under the warranty. But that was before AppleCare extended to damage (late 2000s), so I dunno what the policy is now.
Someone else has told me iPads had an issue with bending, but I guess I was misinformed. $49 isn’t bad if that’s the case, but I would rather have known, and not had that unpleasant confrontation with the Genius.
I was a Creative at the Apple Store (back when those were a thing, Specialist, to ‘Family Room Specialist’ (iOS device support) to Creative (Trainer)) for 5 years, same timeframe as you. I’ve done my fair share of every kind of Apple device troubleshooting, and like to think I know better than to mistreat my devices and take extra care. I’ve never seen this kind of ’damage’, for lack of a better word, before.
My wife’s 12.9 iPad Pro (whichever model when they switched over to flat edges) seemingly bent in her case. We’re generally very good with tech and have never put the iPad in a position that it could have gotten bent.
For iPadOS had heard of people getting it bent because of the case they used requiring force when they took it in and out. Screen is also big and its thin so that can make it easier to bend if you are putting it in a bag.
I put my iPad in a hard shell laptop case if I'm putting it in a bag. And for general case to protect from scratches I used one with soft silicon edges so it was easy to take in and out a opposed to the ones that snap to the iPad.