After eLux messed up my order (some "miscommunication" w/ their agents pfft!) they put a rush order on it & then overnighted my bag to me free of charge!
Many of my bags from Elux (Cabas Mezzo, Speedys, Papillon) came w/the plastic on the handles. I think when you buy it from the boutique, they usually take it out in the backroom before they present it to the customers, but Elux seems to send the items straight from their warehouse perhaps?
When I bought my bags at the boutique, they pulled one out of the drawer and took it into the back and removed the plastic. But the bags were definitely packaged with plastic on the handles.