Originally Posted by
lamphs
Quite a controversial topic.
But close to home. I injured my left ring finger on Saturday, but essentially can't use my left hand. Without surgery, 12 week recovery; with surgery longer. I have planned travel. In any case, there is no way I could lift my carryon into an overhead bin with my right hand, without risking that it slips and it injures somebody.
I'm checking my bag; not chancing it with a gate check. I do not expect anyone's, FA's or passenger's, assistance in this circumstance.
I traveled after surgery and couldn't lift my bag into the overhead. I did expect that I would find someone that would help me. Why did I expect that? Because I have helped people literally scores of times with overhead luggage, and I knew that there would be other generous souls to help me when I needed it. I think it's sad when we stop relying on the kindness of others as we travel though life. Sometime we all need a helping hand.
Originally Posted by
ExplorerWannabe
I think we can all agree the OP's question ("is this usual?") has been answered. IANAL but I would like to point out that there are very real legal differences between "may", "will", and "shall" -- at least, there have always been very real differences in how those words are used and understood in every contract I have been a party to or seen.
While a broken collarbone may not fall under the ADA, it is a very real, painful, and limiting injury which may not be immediately obvious to visual inspection. The same goes for sciatica and a number of other physical conditions. At the same time, this thread has exposed a number of reasons why FAs shouldn't be expected to assist with loading carry-ons into the overhead bins. It would be a lot easier for all concerned if travelers planned to be as self-sufficient as possible rather than assume they'll get someone else to put their 18 kg carry-on in the overhead for them and the rest of us help out a fellow traveler in distress if/when we can. I grew up as a Boy Scout and was a Scout Leader for over 25 years -- I'm happy to help people when and where I can but my willingness to do so is inversely proportional to their assumption or expectation that I have some kind of implied burden to help them.
Wow. That's not the Scouts I grew up with. If a senior with limited mobility drops their groceries in the street and then looks to me and says, "well, are you going to help me" as if I'm expected to, their poor manners or boorish behavior doesn't absolve me of my duty to be a kind human and help them get their groceries off the street.