Flight attendant explains why they won’t lift your bag in overhead locker for you

Have you ever wondered why flight attendants never lift your bags into the overhead lockers?

Now we think about it, while we often see flight attendants checking that the overhead lockers are totally secure, we rarely see them lifting cases into the compartments.

Well, it turns out that flight attendants are actually advised not to do this - and there's a really good reason why.

Although you may have seen movies or TV shows in which the flight attendant will happily lug someone’s bag into the overheard - real-life flight attendant, Kat Kamalani, has revealed this isn’t the case in reality.

And it's not just flight attendants who should take care - as Kat even suggests that holidaymakers exercise some caution when it comes to lifting their bags into the overhead.

In a clip shared on TikTok, Kat explained that people often risk injuring themselves as they lift overpacked suitcases into lockers.

The same is true of cabin crew, who regularly hurt their shoulders or backs lifting luggage into lockers.

In fact, it became so common that the US Associate of Flight Attendants has advised its members not to help customers with this task, due to insurers not covering medical bills.

“Crazy fact…everyone thinks it’s flight attendant’s job to lift your luggage into the bins, but it’s not,” she said.

“Actually, our airline, and a ton of other airlines, tell you do not do this because you get so many injuries with it. And you’re not even covered.”

Of course, if you ask a flight attendant to help with your bag, it's unlikely they'll refuse to offer any assistance.

And Kat pointed out that passengers can also look to others on the flight for a bit of help, too.

On that note, it's also worth checking that you can actually lift your case above your head before travelling.

With many people cutting costs and simply travelling with hand luggage instead of a huge case in the hold, those bags can get pretty heavy.

“…I always say if you can’t lift…don’t bring it," explained Kat.

Instead, it's worth switching to something lighter and more compact.

It's also important to look out for notices on the aircraft that explain the best way to store your luggage.

“Most airlines have these little cards that show you how to store your luggage…so it’s either going to be vertical or horizontal," Kat added.

Featured Image Credit: TikTok/@katkamalani/Jackyenjoyphotography/Getty Images

Topics: Travel

Lucy Devine

Lucy is a journalist working for Tyla. After graduating with a master's degree in journalism, she has worked in both print and online and is particularly interested in fashion, food, health and women's issues. Northerner, coffee addict, says hun a lot.

@lucedevine