14/06/2023
JUST A FRIENDLY REMINDER THAT IT IS NOT A FLIGHT ATTENDANT'S JOB TO STOW PASSENGER LUGGAGE UNTO THE OVERHEAD COMPARTMENTS
Indeed, it's true! Flight attendants are NOT required to hoist passenger luggage into the overhead compartments, especially when the passenger is capable of doing it themselves.
However, they CAN HELP passengers with physical disabilities (PWDs), seniors, pregnant women, or those who are unable to reach the compartments to lift their luggage.
Why? Because repeatedly lifting 7kg bags can have long-term harmful effects on their health and well-being. This could prevent flight attendants from fulfilling their primary responsibilities as safety guardians in the sky, tasked with looking after the passengers' lives, not their luggage!
They need to be at their best to react promptly and efficiently to any unforeseen events or emergencies.
Consider this: usually, there are 50 passengers for every flight attendant. Imagine them lifting 7kg weight 50 times per flight. In a roundtrip flight, they would end up lifting 7kg a hundred times, without any back support. This could cause long-term damage to their backs and shoulders, potentially making them unfit for work. This is why airlines discourage flight attendants from lifting luggage, even the 5-star airlines.
To help you understand better, think about your car. Sure, you can rev it up to the 6th or 7th rpm once, twice, or thrice. But doing so consistently will gradually damage your engine, making your car unusable.
While flight attendants are always there to cater to passengers' needs, there are certain limits to what they can do. Airlines care about their health and physical condition too. After all, they're human and prone to injuries when pushed beyond their limits.
So, if you're a capable passenger who has carried your luggage from the car to the check-in counter to the boarding gate, you should be able to stow it in the overhead bin too! Plus, it's likely that once the plane lands, you'll be the first to retrieve it.
If you're a PWD, senior citizen, a person of short stature, or pregnant, I recommend traveling light. If you have complimentary check-in luggage privileges, utilize them. If you must carry it on board, try to stow it under the seat in front of you. Or, you may ask for assistance to lift your luggage.
However, remember that some airlines strictly prohibit cabin crew from lifting luggage. Passengers must either check them in or lift their luggage themselves.
I'd also like to remind passengers NOT to leave their luggage on the floor expecting flight attendants to stow them. That's a no-no! They might end up calling security to recheck it or ask ramp agents to check it in for you.
Let's be considerate travelers, okay? Take responsibility for your luggage. There are no "entitlements" once you board the aircraft. All rules must be adhered to!
Note: Cabin crew in the photo was merely closing the OSBs in preparation for a flight.
๐ท: Gary Sato