A flight attendant has revealed an annoying thing passengers do before the aircraft has even taken off.
When you’re one to not properly stow your bag within the overhead locker — or worse yet, you’ve got an oversized bag that doesn’t even fit — it’s sure to frustrate cabin crew.
In a viral TikTok titled ‘Things that annoy flight attendants’ that has since resurfaced, Chris Kellum, who works on a budget US airline, vented his anger on the act, explaining why it is crucial to follow airline rules.
“When you place a bigger bag within the overhead bin we ask that you simply ensure that it closes before you are taking your seat,” he’s heard saying over the speaker.
Chris, along with a fellow flight attendant can then be seen re-enacting the common but “annoying” act.
His co-worker, who pretends to be a passenger, is seen shoving a bag within the locker and letting half of it dangle out.
“Ma’am is that this your bag within the overhead bin?” he asks.
Acting coy, the girl responds: “Which bag are you talking about?”
“The overhead bin isn’t closing, so unfortunately it doesn’t fit and we’re gonna have to envision your bag in,” Chris says.
She then imitates a possible familiar line utilized by customers saying: “I don’t get it, the bag fit last time.”
“How come it didn’t fit today? What happened, the bag got smaller?”
Chris desired to get the easy message across that in case your bag doesn’t fit, then it’ll must be checked in.
It also comes all the way down to safety. While the foundations vary for various airlines, some can have policies stopping flight attendants from lifting passengers’ suitcases, based on travel brand Matador Network.
Flight attendant Jamela Hardwick told Insider why she won’t help passengers with their luggage.
She explained that it not only comes all the way down to pay but in the event that they get injured while performing the act, they’re not covered.
“We don’t receives a commission until the boarding door is closed,” she said. “If we get hurt while putting that bag within the overhead bin, we don’t get to jot down it off as an on-job injury.”
Kat Kamalani, a flight attendant for greater than six years, said while it’s “crazy” it’s true that it’s not their job to lift luggage into the overhead lockers.
“A ton of airlines tell (flight attendants) not to do that because there are such a lot of injuries with it, so if we get injured it’s not even covered,” she said in a TikTok.
But she said while the flight crew won’t stow the baggage for you, in case you ask for help when you put your luggage within the overhead compartment, they may gladly give it.
“Ask the flight attendant to help you and they’ll totally provide help to put it up there.”