A friend of my wife's had surgery a couple of years ago and when she asked a stewardess to help her put her carry-on in the overhead bin she was curtly told, "That's not my job." Another passenger helped so it wasn't the end of the world.

Now my wife has had surgery and is going to need help putting her carry-on in the overhead compartment. I'm sure she can ask a fellow passenger. Or should she mention the problem to the gate agent?

Thanks.