My dad took a flight yesterday in American first class (a domestic connection after returning from Europe), and he asked me an interesting question that I figure is worth addressing here. Somehow, it’s a topic that I’ve never explicitly addressed.
Should or can flight attendants help with carry-on bags?
My dad texted me to ask a question about something he experienced on his flight. He explained that he asked the flight attendant to help him with his carry-on bag, and she apologized and said that she couldn’t, and that it’s against company policy. Then another flight attendant heard her saying this, and came to help with placing his bag in the overhead bin. He’s curious what’s going on here…
Please don’t hold the question against my dad, as I realize some frequent flyers (and flight attendants) may roll their eyes at this. While my dad has traveled a lot over the years, he doesn’t fly as much as he used to, and when he does, it’s mostly internationally.
My dad is also a senior, and while he’d be mad if I shared his age, he has qualified for a senior discount at Dunkin’ for decades, if that’s any indication.
Anyway, his confusion is understandable, especially if you’re not a super frequent flyer on US airlines. For one, lots of flight attendants on US airlines do gladly help with bags. Next, if you fly a foreign carrier, it’s common for them to proactively help with bags.
For example, when I fly Singapore Airlines (as a youngish and able-bodied person), the flight attendants rush to help me with my bags, as if I can’t do it myself. Meanwhile on US airlines, it’s not uncommon to see flight attendants even refuse to help seniors or those who struggle with mobility with their bags.
The concept of just completely refusing to help passengers with carry-on bags is very much an American thing. That’s not to say it never happens elsewhere, but it’s by far the most common in the United States.
Are flight attendants not “allowed” to help with bags?
What’s actually the policy here? Are flight attendants really not allowed to help passengers with bags, do they just have the right to refuse to help, or what? The answer is nuanced, and it really depends on which party you ask.
Some flight attendants will claim that helping with carry-on bags is one of the leading causes of injuries while on the job, and that their workers’ compensation doesn’t cover injuries resulting from this. Based on my understanding, that’s not really accurate.
As I understand it, no airline actually tells flight attendants that they’re not allowed to help passengers with their carry-on bags. However, airline policies differ when it comes to the extent to which flight attendants are encouraged to help passengers with their bags.
For example, Delta states that “flight attendants are unable to proactively assist customers placing carry-on baggage into overhead bins, with certain exceptions.” I’d say the key word there is “proactively,” which seems like an important word here, since that’s different than “reactively.”
Meanwhile Southwest flight attendants are “allowed to assist passengers, although it’s not a requirement,” but “it’s part of Southwest hospitality.”
There’s also nuance between “lifting” and “assisting” with bags. In this case, “assisting” is generally defined as helping to move the bag into the overhead bin after it has been lifted.
This is also an area where unions often chime in. Flight attendant unions typically discourage flight attendants from helping passengers lift bags, and state that if a flight attendant is injured in any way, they should immediately refuse to work the flight.
So yeah, flight attendants are within their rights when they refuse to help passengers lift bags. They argue that if you can’t carry-on the bag yourself, you should check it. While they don’t have to help in a professional capacity, many flight attendants will still show courtesy to those who need help, just as I would do for a fellow passenger who could use the help.
But there’s no denying that a lot of flight attendants take a principled approach, and parrot the “I’m not allowed to help” line. That’s their prerogative, and that’s also why there’s so much inconsistency, as my dad has observed over time (and experienced himself).
To give flight attendants some credit, I can also understand how they’re “over” the concept of passengers bringing on massively oversized bags, and then making them the crew’s problem. At the same time, dealing with the traveling public is what they get paid for. I also think there’s a difference between a general social courtesy (for seniors, those who need help, etc.), and just an able-bodied person who can’t lift their 50 pound bag.
Bottom line
Air travelers in the United States are sometimes confused by the policies surrounding crew members helping with carry-on bags. While some flight attendants claim that they’re not allowed to help with carry-on bags, that’s not quite true.
The truth is that they’re not required to help, and the real reason for that is over concern of them getting injured. Still, it’s up to individual flight attendants to decide how they handle this situation. So you’ll see some flight attendants who don’t help at all, some flight attendants who “assist,” and some flight attendants who are very helpful.
I can appreciate that flight attendants don’t want to be responsible for lifting the bags of hundreds of travelers per day, though I think there’s probably also a middle ground in terms of showing courtesy to people who might need help, just like we otherwise help strangers in society. At least that’s my two cents…
What do you make of the “flight attendants helping with bags” situation in the United States?
