Lifting pax hand-luggage into overhead bins

[Xtra Crew]

How do you react when a pax asks you to lift and stow his/her hand luggage into the overhead lockers?

Do you do it?
or
Do you tell them they had the chance to check it in, and now they have to stow it themselves?

Is it true that some airlines dont allow their cabin crew to lift pax hand luggage because of back injuries that result in days off due to sickness?

[LOTflyer]

At LOT we were always trained not to take it ourselves. We were suppose to show the free space and "assist" . If I had good mood and an old lady asked me for help I always offered putting the bag ....but together, not by myself.

Hope this helps:E

[tiggerific_69]

if someone is struggling and asks for help,i will assist them to lift it but i never lift it myself into a locker.however i will carry large bags down the aisle in a blatant huff when they are being offloaded because they shoudnt be in the cabin in the first place!!

[Xtra Crew]

But what do you do when someone leaves the hand luggage on the floor and asks you straight: can you please lift it up for me?

[apaddyinuk]

This is one of those subjects where I have seen crew being so rude to passengers!!!!

Its simple, I just smile, start fiddeling with the overhead locker making space and stuff and as Im doing this I just say to the passenger that Ill need them to help me lift the bag...I inevitably put my hand on the bag but generally let them do the lifting...at least that way it looks like Im doing something!!! :p

[Katie]

I'd be polite but I wouldn't risk hurting my back! It also depends on circumstances, if it was an older lady or infirm passenger or a UM who was having trouble...then I'd help them. If it was some perfectly fit pax I'd wonder why'd they'd need little old me to lift up their bag when they are perfectly capable of doing it themselves! I'd help make space but I'd never lift anything too heavy or risk injury.

I've heard stories of pax walking on the airplane and dumping their bags at the door and expecting the cabin crew to be their slaves and put it away for them! I wouldn't stand for that! :=

[dupont3700]

Believe me, on our africa flights, you don't want to lift their luggage, WAY TOO HEAVY!!!!!!
Have you ever thought about this; are we insured in case we hurt ourselves?
If someone leaves his trolley in the alley, I'll ask him/her to put it away or I'll bring it to the ground staff to put in into the hold.

[Eddy]

If I'm asked politely, I'll help! If asked rudely, as if it's a major function of my job, I'll politely and discreetly decline!!!

[keeperboy]

If its a lady, someone elderly or travelling with kids etc etc i'll always lift it (as long as it isn't of a ridiculous size).

If not, i'll find room for it and direct the pax to where ive made the room for it.

[Mad (Flt) Scientist]

Surely if someone is struggling to lift their luggage into the overhead storage, or if it poses a risk of back injury, then it almost certainly exceeds the weight limitation for the overhead? Usually about 20kg for each "bay", IIRC. So unless the passenger is of the "little old lady" variety, if they can't lift it into the bin, it doesn't belong there.

[OzzieO]

BA's policy is no. You can assist by making space etc but lifting a heavy bag is a no no. If you badly injury your back as a result of ignoring BA's advice you won't be covered therefore the majority of crew just assist.

[megan]

As a piece of SLF I am continually amazed at the size/weight of some carry on baggage I see on some airlines. A suitcase stowed on a 747 in with a liferaft on one occassion. Don't the cabin staff have some means to stop these practices? The only time I've seen rigid enforcement of the rules re carry on was a QF out of LAX many years ago. I certainly sympathise with your plight but I for one would not be helping an able bodied passenger. As SLF I don't want all that weight hanging over my head in the bin waiting for a HARD landing or worse.

[sixmilehighclub]

I love it when you see someone with a heavy bag comes onboard and complains they need help. When the crew member suggests if its too heavy to lift it must go in the hold, they soon find a way to cope!!

[DarkStar]

There was a recent case where a passenger picked up a purse that had been dropped by a STDSS and hurt his back. Must have been those allowances again....:E

[whattimedoweland]

''ladies and gentelmen,if you find your hand baggage is too heavy or too large to lift into the overhead locker,then it's too big for our petite 5ft,4in stewardess''.

''If you are not able to lift it yourself,nor can we but we can stow it in the hold of the aircraft for you''.

Funny how some pax seem suddenly to have done 6 moths at the gym:O .

WTDWL.

[striparella]

Nope. Don't touch it.

I don't even do it now as ground staff if someone needs a hand carrying it to a gate, or up/down stairs.

If it's too heavy for you to lift above your head or down some stairs then it's too heavy full stop. Check it in.

Hand luggage should ONLY contain the things you need for the flight - and there's nothing i could possibly imagine i would need that would be so heavy i couldn't pick my own bag up.

[Neptunus Rex]

DON'T LIFT IT !!!

A colleague of mine, a very fit and top professional Chief Purser, tried to do the right thing and help a passenger stow his heavy bag in the overhead bin. The result was that she hurt her back, had to take sick leave on and off for several years (she's no bludger) and got no sympathy from her bosses.

Earlier posters are quite right - if it's too heavy to lift easily, bung it in the baggage hold. THEN get your Captain to allocate any consequent late departure to the Check In Staff; that gets their attention.

Neppie :cool:

[surely not]

DON'T LIFT IT !!!

THEN get your Captain to allocate any consequent late departure to the Check In Staff; that gets their attention.

Neppie :cool:

Of course that assumes that the passenger had the bag at check-in :rolleyes: . Strange as you might find it, passengers will deliberately hide the heavy bags from c-in staff so that they are not made to put it into the hold.

[Lite]

This is a major problem that I see with easyJet's recent decision to abolish all hand luggage restrictions, besides that your piece of hand luggage must fit into the gauge at the check-in desk as well as being able to lift the bag above your head. Now, if you've got a queue of passengers waiting to check-in, you don't have time to ask all 156 pax if they could just lift the bag over their head & pause like it's a game of Simon Says. Similarly, considering easyJet want 25-minute turns at all airports (including major ones) surely pax struggling to stow heavy carryon items into the overhead bins, thus blocking aisles, and therefore delaying the boarding process is a cause for concern.

Considering that many business pax find it a MAJOR inconvenience to wait 20 minutes for their bag to come on the belt in arrivals, I still think it's best to limit the weight allowance to 10kgs & one bag that can also fit under the seat. Just my $0.02.

[sexy siren]

well.....the best thing if asked politely....and if an old lady i usually ask an able bodied person usally a man....if he cud assist me....... and if a rude pax... well if they cant lift their own luggage neither can i...

[ChewyTheWookie]

As many people have said, I will happily help old ladies, mums with kids, disabled people etc, but anyone else can move it themselves or have it put in the hold.

Personally I hate the problems we have with handluggage at BA and can't stand it when crew stow bags incorrectly to avoid offloading stuff. I can't count the number of times I've been in a briefing when the purser or CSD has said "keep an eye on the baggage" and then complained later when you want to offload a 20kg suitcase...

[whattimedoweland]

Not with me Chewy.I'm always at the door and if it's too big or too heavy it does not come on.I always ask crew to bring up to the front anything that gets past me that is too big.

The serious side of this also seems to be forgotton.If the overhead lockers are too heavy they pose a great danger to the passengers in a heavy or emergency landing.

We're there to save it not kiss it!!:ok:

WTDWL.

[tart1]

We're there to save it not kiss it!!:ok:

What a lovely expression WTDWL! I must remember that one for future use. :cool: :cool:

[Lady BBJ]

I personally agree with most of you. If people think, they have to carry heavy luggage than they also have to stow it. They get it out of the house, through the airport on the X-ray....etc.
But i also "refuse" in a nice way....like finding same space in comp.,just holding my hand under it whilst lifting up....etc;)
What i really hate, is, when i hear from pax "the lady at the gate told me the stewardess will find a place for your luggage". Then i really would like to call this person immediatly.

[Skyflier]

As SLF I regularly wish that hand luggage restrictions were enforced and what some pax carry aboard is crazy. I watched an LH purser remonstrate with a Globe Ground person about this at LHR last week and his concern for safety was just as obvious as the fact that she didn't give a stuff and she certainly wasn't going to change anything that might cause her either more work or grief. The reaction of all posters here to being asked to stow a bag is so alien to my experience of what really happens though. Admittedly, I rarely travel on UK carriers and my main travel takes me to SE Asia , Aus and NZ on SIA as a pax in F or occasionally C. There I often find it embarrassing as the most petite Singapore Girl attempts to snatch my bag from me and if she succeeds stows in in a locker that she can only barely reach. A case of major cultural difference?

[whattimedoweland]

Good post Skyflyer and nice to see it from the passengers point of view.

As regards the cultural side of the argument ,we all know that SE Asia carriers are very well sevice orienetated.Where ever your travel takes you you will find qualities both good and bad in airlines.

I can only speak from personal experience with my company.If I choose to help a passenger lift or stow a bag and cause myself an injury I am not covered with any sort of insurance or back up.I just end up on my basic pay and as most cabin crew will know we have to fly to make our money up.Again if the passenger is elderly,pregnant etc I will always find myself trying to find somewhere for their bag.

My wife worked for another company and a 6ft 6in male business passenger put his bag at her feet and said 'stow that'.Being only 4ft 11in(tiny but beautiful!!)she replied it was'nt her job!!.Not impressed he told her it was her job.She was ground staff doing a seat check and at this stage the Senior crew member came over to assist.She asked the passenger why he could'nt stow the bag and he said it was too heavy.Being professional and service focused she said she would stow his bag for him.He got it in the baggage hall!!:ok:

You Skyflyer are obviously one of the remaining gents keep it up.:ok:

Remember passengers, if it's too big or too heavy for you it's the same weight for the crew.You pack it you stack it!!:p .

WTDWL.

[Final 3 Greens]

As a regular SLF, I normally have trouble finding space to stow my carry on due to the high amount of crew carry ons in the bins.

Maybe they should go to the hold?

In fact, last September, a badly stowed piece of crew kit (a high heel shoe) was dislodged by one of her colleagues in flight and fell on my head - it was bl**dy painful and gave me a shock, especially as I was sleeping at the time.

Still, I'd only paid 450 quid for the privilege of LHR/FRA/LHR, so why should I feel the need to complain?

I suggest that some of you try working in a factory and learn what life is like on the other side of the tracks.

[BlankBox]

I'm a pax too.....don't indulge me. If I can't handle it...should never have come aboard.
...as an aside I fondly remember flying Singapore / Seoul on a Korean Air 744. I think the other PAX bought 1/2 of Singapore to take back with 'em ....and proceeded to use the overhead bins for that purpose. Never seen so many square cardboard cartons fitting into so many round holes in my life! You all keep up the good work....cause ...we're off tomorrow...and you might be the one on my trip!

[KEF-KUS]

First post - please be gentle.
As SLF and a medical professional (lifting and moving people [not just bags] is part of my job), I don't think it's the cabin crew's responsibility to haul my baggage around, end of story. Pax need to take responsibility for their own goods is the bottom line. Pax should also say please and thank you more, but that's asking rather a lot from some.
:*

[whattimedoweland]

Well said KEF-KUS nice adult attitude.

I'd left the message board for a little while as I had to pick up some toys thrown from the cot;):D.

Off to bed now as I'm off to -20oC tomorrow:zzz: .

WTDWL.

[westozflyer]

I once was asked by a (much taller and heavier) lady to stow her 'wedding gift' in the locker. At the end of the flight she accused me of breaking it when I stowed it !!:sad:
One simple rule with passenger hand luggage:-
You pack it - you stack it !! :}

[sukigirl]

Im sorry to sound so naive but sometimes i struggle with all the abreviations in this forum. I dont mean to go of track from this thread but can someone please tell me what SLF stands for? :O :O

[whattimedoweland]

Hi sukigirl,

It stands for Self Loading Frieght , another term for passengers!!.

WTDWE.

[sukigirl]

Thanks WTDWL,
Once in upper class i noticed a pax struggling to put her huge wheeley in the overhead feeling nice i went up to her and said 'here, i'l help you with that, it looks heavy' just as i put my hands under the bag to help her push it in she just walked away to sit in her seat without warning me causing the full weight of the bag to drop into my arms and hurting my shoulder. She was completely oblivious and sat their sipping her champers. :ugh:

[ricciricardo]

I don't mind helping pax with their bags, as usually we're the ones that know how to maximise space, but when someone with a single bag of excess kg's (7) says there is three in their party and therefore 15 odd kg's is acceptable, that really gets my back up (or out maybe)!

[6chimes]

As a regular SLF, I normally have trouble finding space to stow my carry on due to the high amount of crew carry ons in the bins.

Maybe they should go to the hold?

Of course we should, cos we are only doing the flight your on and then off to a swanky hotel, get ourselves into our best bib and tucker (the limo is outside waiting) and off to dinner on expenses.

I can see it now, after every flight the crew scurrying into the baggage hall to get their bags and run back to the a/c.

It seems that you think that the stuff you need to take with you if your on business is needed more than mine and I AM AT MY PLACE OF WORK! My crew bag is the equivalent of your briefcase, laptop, suit carrier and wheelie bag, and sometimes we are away for days as well. I dont expect SLF to consider my job specifics at work but sorry pal you come onto a crew forum its open season.

6

[ricciricardo]

Bravo 6I like your style!

[mutt]

6chimes,

If it is that important for you to have your crew baggage with you, isnt it time for your airline to install a crew baggage locker??

Mutt

[ricciricardo]

Like install it where exactly Mutt?
We have crew rest in the tail so, feel free, Boeing/Airbus industrie await your input.

[Seat1APlease]

Great idea. Take out the first row of seats and install a locker so that the crew can store their possesions safely, just like every ground based employee can.

Then we raise the ticket price by £6 per head to cover the costs and wait for the applause of the pax, (or not as the case may be)

[6chimes]

I take it you take your briefcase to work and dont open it then?

[mutt]

I love the way that people have a habit of attacking the player and not the ball….

So please explain to me why crews cant place their luggage in the hold?

Strangely enough, we have a dedicated crew baggage container for large baggage. Crews are then equipped with luggage that will fit in cabin lockers! They are not supposed to use the passenger facilities!

Boeing or Airbus will equip their aircraft as per the airlines requirements, if you ask for a locker, you will get a locker!

Mutt

[sukigirl]

We all need to have our crew bags (not luggage) on board cos we need to change from our ground shoes into our cabin shoes once on board and we have a little troulble fitting them in our handbags, then at the end of the flight we have to change them again BEFORE we walk through the airport to the baggage hall. Also same as for pax it could be a long flight for us perhaps 12 hours so we to need a small washbag/makeup bag and perhaps something to change into if we have crew rest. Also some crew have to carry paperwork and folders with them. Someone made a very good point earlier when they said would you turn up to a 12 hour day at work with out a breifcase, bag or anything?
I have never seen or heard of these crew lockers you have been talking about on our A340's or 747's, they dont exist. Even if they did i wonder if they would be big enough to accomodate 17 crew?
Yes our luggage can and does go in the hold apart from those rare occasions if we are called out last minute and turn up to the aircraft just before pushback. But no we cant do without our crew bags or handbags.
So Does this answer your query mutt?

[BaronChotzinoff]

On a recent Lufthansa flight, I boarded at the last minute (blasted Frankfurt!!) and was sitting in the emergency exit row, the (male) steward offered to stow my hand baggage elsewhere than under the seat - it contained 20 bottles of German pilsener. He came back and commented on the weight, I was worried about him lifting it but found he'd put it in a floor-level cupboard.

I like this attitude from cabin crew - I'll look after myself and treat you with every courtesy if you turn a blind eye to multiple bags, overweight etc

[sinala1]

Final3Greens I have to disagree with you. Crew are required to have bags onboard the aircraft for a number of reasons, but the bags you see on board are our crew bags only - not our suitcases, which, of course, go in the hold. Also dont forget the crew bags you see crew with onboard are standard uniform, issued by the airlines - we are required by the airlines to carry them. I personally carry manuals, deodorant and other toiletries (a 12 hour flight requires you to be able to refresh yourself, especially when you are working in a customer service/safety environment!). I also carry spare torch batteries (safety requirement by my airline), personal stuff like wallet/keys/phone etc - should I continue?

As far as working on other side of the tracks as you say, well - we don't! Thats not in anyway to belittle any other job, but we choose to work for an airline and our job description does not require us to lift bags that are too heavy to be onboard in the first place - thats for our safety, and also everyone elses safety too.

BaronChtizOff - in long haul we are able to 'turn a blind eye' a little more to some heavier bags as we have floor level wardrobes, however at shorthaul we didnt and sorry any overweight bags were off without a second thought!

(Oh and for the record I am a 6"3 young(ish :D ) guy who has no problem lending a hand to those who clearly need it - but never at the cost of mine or someone elses safety!)

[radeng]

Sorry guys, but as SLF, my response is simple. If making room for crew bags means removing a row of seats and pushing up prices £6 or Euros or dollars, go ahead. To my mind, airtravel has got too cheap anyway. I just paid AA around £1300 for LHR to ORD to DAY to DFW to SAN to LAX to LHR. If another 10% was needed so that there was dedicated cabin crew baggage space, so be it. It's still a bargain.

Recent flights on BA showed CC helping SLF who needed it - guy with an arm in a sling - and so on. But I'd argue if the SLF can't easily lift it into the locker, neither can CC.