During a flight, I sometimes notice that other passengers have too much baggage to fit comfortably in the overhead bins or under the seats. Can they then ask the Cabin Crew to check it in for them or is it too late?
Of course it's not too late. However, due to the effort involved, it's usually preferred to wait until enough excess baggage has accumulated, before checking it.
A flight attendant is placed in a harness with a safety lanyard, and exits a forward door, where she is slowly let out inch by inch until she can reach the external baggage door. There, she opens the door, and the luggage is passed outside the aircraft into the slipstream and the minus 50 degree temperatures, so she can check each separate piece and stow it safely in the baggage compartment. Once that is complete and she places the baggage claim tags in her pocket, she exercises what can only be described as hurculean strength in climbing hand over hand back to the forward entry door to get back in the cabin and continue serving drinks and peanuts.
Most amazing of all is that not once will you ever see her hair out of place or evidence of the inevitable frost-bite.
You haven't seen this before? It happens on nearly every flight...
