It is not part of a flight attendant’s job to lift your bag unto the overhead bin

“Hoy, iwanan mo na ang bag mo diyan at ipabuhat mo nalang sa flight attendant. Trabaho nila yan!” Excuse me! Let me tell you point blank that it is NOT part of a flight attendant’s job to lift passenger luggage unto the overhead compartment of the aircraft, especially if the passenger is an abled individual.

However, they can LEND ASSISTANCE to passengers who have any physical incapacities when it comes to lifting their own luggage, or passengers who cannot properly reach them.

Why is this so? That’s because repetitive lifting of 7kgs luggage have long term unfavorable effects to their health and well-being. This may hinder flight attendants from carrying their primary duties as safety custodians in the sky in charge of the lives of passengers, and not your bags!

They have to be at 100% in order to respond effectively and immediately to any untoward incidents and emergencies.

Take this into context. For every 1 flight attendant are usually 50 passengers. So imagine them lifting 7kgs of weight 50 times per flight leg. That means for a roundtrip flight, they would end up lifting 7kgs 100 times, without wearing any back brace. This may cause long-term problems to their backs and shoulders, which may even render them unable to work already. This is why airlines restrict flight attendants from lifting luggage. Even 5-star airlines do not allow their FAs to lift luggage.

To paint a clearer picture, think of your car. Yes, you can rev your car to the 6th or 7th rpm once, twice, and thrice. However, doing that all the time will slowly blow up your engine, rendering your car useless.

While a flight attendant must always attend to the needs of the passengers, there are still limitations to what they are allowed to do. The airline watches over their health and physical well-being too. After all, they are human beings and are subject to injuries when pushed to the limit.

So if you are an abled passenger, and you carried your luggage from the car to the check-in counter to the boarding gate, then I am sure you can stow it on the OSB too! Besides, I am pretty sure that right after the plane lands, you will be the first to get them.

If you are a PWD, a senior, a height-challenged person, or a pregnant woman, I encourage you to travel light. Or if you have free check-in luggage privileges, then make use of it. But if you have no choice but to carry it in, try to stow it under the seat in front of you. Or, you may request for assistance to help lift your luggage.

But pls do take note that some airlines do not really allow the cabin crew to lift luggage. Either the passenger checks them in or they have to lift their luggage themselves.

Also want to remind passengers to NOT leave their luggage on the floor waiting for flight attendants to stow them. Nope! They may end up calling security to have it rechecked or they may call ramp agents to take your luggage and have it checked in.

Let’s be responsible travelers, shall we? Take care of your own luggage. No one is “entitled” when you step inside the aircraft. All rules have to be followed!

So to conclude, it is not part of a flight attendant’s job to lift passenger luggage unto the overhead compartments, especially if the passenger is an abled person.