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

[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!!!

[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]

Re: Lifting pax hand-luggage into overhead bins

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]

Re: Lifting pax hand-luggage into overhead bins

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]

Re: Lifting pax hand-luggage into overhead bins

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....

[whattimedoweland]

Re: Lifting pax hand-luggage into overhead bins

''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 .

WTDWL.

[striparella]

Re: Lifting pax hand-luggage into overhead bins

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]

Re: Lifting pax hand-luggage into overhead bins

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

[surely not]

Re: Lifting pax hand-luggage into overhead bins

Originally Posted by Neptunus Rex

DON'T LIFT IT !!!

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

Neppie

Of course that assumes that the passenger had the bag at check-in . 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]

Re: Lifting pax hand-luggage into overhead bins

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]

Re: Lifting pax hand-luggage into overhead bins

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...