Originally Posted by
Littlegirl
Just to be clear on this, cabin crew are required to help wheelchair passenger but their hand baggage is specifically checked to ensure it is light enough to be easily lifted when they check in.
Before explaining why I can't help someone lift a bag, I always check the weight. If it is a light bag I am more than happy to help. Usually however I cannot even lift it off the floor let alone into an overhead bin!
Some people who are frail seem to pack absolutely everything in their hand baggage and then expect other people to lift it. I am often told by people that they have a bad back and quite frankly I am not at all surprised when I feel the weight of the bag they choose to drag around!
Everyone can put a small bag underneath their seat so no one is penalised for being small or old but quite frankly when I travel my bag weighs nothing like the weight of some of these bags!
As mentioned by others it is not the fact that we are not allowed to help and this is bcause injurys are high due to lifting bags but more the way it is explained by some crew in an unhelpful way. Some crew are just better at explaining this and taking the passenger with them than some other crew. I think that sometimes the men find it uncomfortable not to be able to help and therefore garble out their reason in a defensive rush!
Anyway, I would recomend that if you cannot lift a bag, don't bring it on or make sure it is small enough to fit under the seat in front of you.
My cabin bag never weighs anywhere near 23kgs but I use a rollaboard because, due to a neck injury, I can't carry a bag but I can roll one. I cannot reach the overhead lockers and I am always fearful of dropping my bag in trying to do so and it falling on another passenger. I can't reach to rearrange stuff already in the lockers to make room for my bag, and in CW, there is no seat in front to put it under, even if it would fit.
Dealing with hand luggage is an absolute nightmare for me, but short, not fully able people need to carry laptops, cameras, medication and valuables on board, too. I carry nothing in my hand luggage that could be checked.
I wish airlines would provide an assistance service like they used to, even if there was a (reasonable) charge for it. Now it's a wheelchair or nothing.