Should Flight Attendants Be Required To Help Lift Carry-On Bags?

A customer service failure experienced by an 86-year-old United Airlines passenger concerning her request for assistance lifting her carry-on bag should not be conflated with whether flight attendants should be required to lift bags.

No, Flight Attendants Should Not Be Required To Help Lift Carry-On Bags

An 86-year-old woman traveling from Dublin (DUB) to Chicago (ORD) on United Airlines was wheelchair-bound and 4-foot-10-inches. She asked a flight attendant for help lifting her bag, but was “snottily” told, “That’s not my job! Ask a passenger!”

My mom flew @united yesterday from Dublin to Chicago. During boarding the FA yelled at her to get her bag out of the aisle. She’s 86 & 4’10. She asked the FA to help put her bag up & she snottily said that’s not my job ask a passenger. Do better United! Pic of mom who is amazing! pic.twitter.com/VTRRb0HbOe

— Colleen (@cmcubfan) October 7, 2024

Of course, the woman was taken aback and so was her daughter…it’s rude and unacceptable customer service.

But the flight attendant was right that flight attendants are not required to help passengers lift bags. This is a contractual issue but it goes beyond even that.

I used to believe that flight attendants should be required to lift bags. Why not make it part of the job description? In any case, the “good” flight attendants already do this…

But I’ve changed my mind over the years. First, flight attendants are not necessarily guaranteed disability, leave, or even medical care for injuries sustained from lifting bags. Second, in the US there are no weight limits to carry-on bags. I’ve seen carry-on bags weigh more than 50 pounds when fully stuffed and that is way too much for a flight attendant (who isn’t a bodybuilder) to lift.

So I now believe that flight attendants should no longer be required to lift bags. If you bring a carry-on bag that is too big for you to lift, you should not expect others to lift it. Chances are, you’ll find a nice seatmate to do it. But asking flight attendants to do it is a no-go.

Does that mean senior citizens should not be allowed to travel? Of course not! But it does mean they should travel with someone who can help them if they are unable to lift bags themselves…

image: @cmcubfan/X // hat tip: View From The Wing