"The air hostess won't lift my bag!"

[AirHostess]

Had a packed domestic flight.

Two older ladies got on and one asked me to lift her bag for her. It was only small but quite heavy and I politely suggested that she pop it under her seat as we weren't meant to lift passenger baggage.

They then started wittering away to the passengers around them that the "air hostess wouldn't life my bag, isn't that their job, disgraceful etc."

I then politely and quietly walked over and said that it wasn't the cabin crew's job to stow passenger baggage. We were there primarily for their safety. If I was injured through back injury (and many cabin crew have been) I would be off work on basic pay and receive no sympathy or help from the airline if I hurt myself by doing something that I was not meant to be doing-ie lifting bags.

It amazes me how they can drag their bags through an airport but expect a flight attendant to stow it. WHY? This problem seems to be getting worse and I always refuse to lift luggage.

[RayvenQ]

It'd be then that I'd point out that you're an Air Hostess, not a Baggage handler.

[Tireana Dorcha]

It amazes me how they can drag their bags through an airport but expect a flight attendant to stow it. WHY?

That's because they know how heavy it is and they wouldn't want to hurt themselves. You're expendable afterall; there to bow to their every whim </end Sarcasm>

[AirHostess]

LOL. It just surprised me that they were older, sensible looking ladies, not the prima donnas we sometimes get. We were also flying to Manchester, normally a very enjoyable flight, I love going there as my mum's family is from there and the flights can be fun and full of good humoured banter.

It also annoyed me being called an 'air hostess.' I call myself that in jest but when referring to my career refer to myself as cabin crew or a flight attendant which I think sounds more modern, professional and reflects the job that we do.

[Midnight_Angel]

It amazes me how they can drag their bags through an airport but expect a flight attendant to stow it. WHY?

I can think of two reasons:

1) Most of these things have wheels nowadays. So it's less of an issue to drag it aroung the airport with you, rolling the thang right over soneone else's toes... but when it comes to actually lift it from the ground, maybe overhead into one of these storage compartments (which are not designed for heavy things, but then again, does an EW really care?), that's a whole different thing altogether.

2) On the airport, one can only bitch to oneself (or the ones accomanying oneself, which will lead to bad vibes), while aboard the plane... whoa! A whole crew of servants and maids, ready to cater for every whim that happens to cross Mr. Passenger's mind.

BTW: I always thought there were limits on hand-baggage weight, as well as its dimensions. Did I miss something?

[AirHostess]

I can think of two reasons:

1) Most of these things have wheels nowadays. So it's less of an issue to drag it aroung the airport with you, rolling the thang right over soneone else's toes... but when it comes to actually lift it from the ground, maybe overhead into one of these storage compartments (which are not designed for heavy things, but then again, does an EW really care?), that's a whole different thing altogether.

2) On the airport, one can only bitch to oneself (or the ones accomanying oneself, which will lead to bad vibes), while aboard the plane... whoa! A whole crew of servants and maids, ready to cater for every whim that happens to cross Mr. Passenger's mind.

BTW: I always thought there were limits on hand-baggage weight, as well as its dimensions. Did I miss something?

The airline's website says:
The standard-sized bag is no more than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm (22ins x 18ins x 10ins), including the handle, pockets and wheels.

The bag must be able to be:

* fitted into the gauge available in the check-in area
* lifted into the aircraft's overhead lockers unaided


The rules often get ignored!

[Apathy]

The rules often get ignored!

I don't know why companies bother making rules anymore. No one upholds them, and of course, customers never read them.

[Midnight_Angel]

The airline's website says:
The standard-sized bag is no more than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm (22ins x 18ins x 10ins), including the handle, pockets and wheels.

The bag must be able to be:

* fitted into the gauge available in the check-in area
* lifted into the aircraft's overhead lockers unaided


The rules often get ignored!

Hmm... that's rather generous, considering that one of the airlines I fly also imposes an 8kg limit on top of the dimensions you specified.

[Hyndis]

I am curious about the phenomenon of older women who pack lead bricks with them whenever they go on a flight.



Yes, my mother also does this. I honestly don't know whats in her luggage. Clothing cannot possibly weigh that much! The only possible explanation is that she is smuggling lead bricks for some unknown reason. And I have to carry them for her.

[Apathy]

Lead bricks can be gilded and sold for a fortune.

[Ree]

So, the flight attendants who helped me stow my bags because I was just a bit too short were in violation of the rules?

Interesting.

[Shimatta]

She should do what every old lady on every flight I take does. Struggle with the bag and hold up the people trying to board until someone in a near by seat or behind her in line shoves it into the overhead to get her out of the way. Really if you are going to have trouble wouldn't it be easier to just check it in?
Not that I have anything against weak old ladies.

[Seshat]

So, the flight attendants who helped me stow my bags because I was just a bit too short were in violation of the rules?

That's got me curious about disabilities, too.

If someone is disabled, and unable to lift the bag for that reason (or, as Ree indicates, if someone is just too short to reach the bins), are they not allowed cabin luggage?

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Carry-on luggage usually can go under the seat in front of you, if you can't get it in an overhead compartment or just don't want to.

That's the way it's been on every flight I've taken and I prefer it that way. Makes it easier to get to the books and magazines I packed, or my portable DVD player.

[AirHostess]

Carry-on luggage usually can go under the seat in front of you, if you can't get it in an overhead compartment or just don't want to.

That's the way it's been on every flight I've taken and I prefer it that way. Makes it easier to get to the books and magazines I packed, or my portable DVD player.

Exactly.

Sometimes other passengers will help but my bottom line is "you pack it you stack it, I touch it, I tag it." If it's just a light little bag fine. Same goes for a coat. But I will never ever put my own back health at risk. Living off my basic pay whilst being off sick with no flight allowences is a very depressing thought! The passenger you helped with their bag will be long gone and your back will never be the same again.

Our airline reinforces this very strongly.

If a bag is too heavy for it's owner to stow it should be offloaded and placed in the hold. If we were to crash and the aircraft had structural damage, those overhead bins could collapse and kill someone.

I was speaking to someone the other day who flung a businessman's case into a locker. It was after pushback and she just wanted to stow it quickly. Well she seriously damaged her back, the flight was cancelled as she needed an ambulance and then spent time in hospital recovering from an operation on her back. She then had 6 months off work so a huge loss of earnings. She is back flying now but still gets back pain of course. That is what I think of a lot.