Comments

1. Is this your mother’s first time flying on an airline in her 86 years? Sorry (not sorry), Colleen, the rule is “you bring it, you sling it.”

2. As a straight white male, I can confidently say that I don’t care what ugly white bitchy american women wearing baseball hats because they can’t be bothered to wash their hair have to say about attractiveness. Her attitude, like most american white women these days sadly, is like anti-viagra. Just gross.

3. @JimC

   Your attitude shows you are obviously one of those useless, overpaid, entitled FAs that still are under the delusion that your job is really a super important safety officer. No, you are a service worker. Most people who are so bad at their job go find something else to do with their life, they don’t keep doing the same menial labor job for 20 years and bitch constantly about it. It’s time to rethink your life when you justify not helping an 86 year old women. Attitudes like this is why 90% of your customers hate you and have zero respect for you. You’re just complete garbage. Now go get me a drink.

4. I am of two minds regarding the 86 year old lady : (a) she ought not be treated rudely ; (b) she ought to have checked her bag , and not bring it aboard ; and (c) she is owed a partial refund because of the rudeness .

   If I was the Captain , (a) I would have replaced the FA before departure , if feasible , or given her an verbal reprimand ; (b) gate-checked her bag ; and (c) offered her a partial refund because of the rudeness .

5. @Mantis … I respectfully disagree . @JimC2 is correct that FA ought not lift her bag . In fact , she ought not have brought it onboard in the first place , for safety reasons . She was selfish .

   During the flight she would have three times asked the FA to shlep it down so she could take a tissue from her tissue box , and then asked the FA to shlep it upwards again . She had no consideration for the person lifting it , not the person underneath when it was dropped upon another person’s head , thus necessitating a medical diversion .

6. The FA instructions are clear. It is the job of another passenger to help!

7. The elderly often need a little help and also carry on more meds than other passengers. The FAs responsibility should be to find the assistance needed, not the pax. Because that would be kind and useful.

8. The Air Carrier Access Act requires the airline to perform to a certain minimum (“Airlines are required to provide assis­tance with boarding, deplaning and making connections.”) I’m sure that any competent lawyer could get the airline to send someone from the airline to assist an 86 year old woman getting her allowed luggage in the overhead bin. Maybe the flight attendant doesn’t have to help but she shouldn’t be nasty and she shouldn’t try to push the responsibility onto another passenger.

9. Should the old woman brought this bag onboard? No. At the same time the flight attendant could have and should have helped stow the back or a the very least find a man to do it if she felt uncomfortable lifting a bag.

10. The comments on here are clearly written by people with no respect for others. At no time should an elderly person be treated with disrespect for asking for help. EVER. Two, many people have carryons with vital medications in them. There is no need to gate check a bag that could go in the overhead. People are rude, selfish and find outrage and indignation over the most ridiculous things. Some of you clearly need some corporal punishment.

11. That cow with the red hat sure has a punchable face.

12. @Maryland … Agree nearly completely with your comment , except for the “meds” . I am disabled and travel with meds , because I fear them disappearing in a “lost” suitcase . I disagree that she can bring a suitcase or other big or heavy bag on board to carry her “meds” . She ought to carry her “meds” in a “handbag” , which she can hold in the wheelchair , and stow under the seat .

    If disabled people can carry “meds” , (in their labeled Rx bottles , for “customs inspections”) , in a small valise , then so can she . Asking FAs or strangers to injure themselves is rather selfish .

13. A few months ago, I flew TK business class to and from IST (unlike my Mayor, I paid with miles). ON both flights the FA, without being asked, offered to put my carryon in the bin and, iIIRC, on the flight to NYC, came by to take it down as well. I appreciated it but didn’t think it was extraordinary.

14. The Continental letter is so old I have it saved in physical form. Pre-digital. It’s hilarious.

15. Even if she did inadvertently violate the rules, screaming at little old ladies because they need help is just ghastly. But that’s Kirby with his “Best airline in the world “.

16. I’m also too short to put my bag in the overhead bin without help (although I’m otherwise physically capable). If no one offers to help, I step on my seat to get the bag in (I generally get aisle seats). I’m sure there’s been worse on that seat.

17. Re: how straight guys should dress. First, I am on occasion shocked at how slovenly some travel. To be sure, I’m no suit and tie guy. But, why is this for straight and, presumably, not gay guys? Second, she needs to learn the definition of “sight [cc said ‘site’] for sore eyes.” It is the opposite of whatcshebthinks it is.

18. As for elderly travellers, they need to know that flight attendants are NOT supposed to help them lift their bags into the overhead. Makes perfect sense when you think about it; repetitive efforts like that cause injuries. But of course, the inexperienced traveller doesn’t know that ahead of time. FAs should not be snarling at anyone, but sometimes they’re less than gracious about pax holding up boarding. The solution to this situation is to ask at the gate for assistance. Barring that, the minute you reach your row, ask another pax to help. I’m not elderly, but have chronic shoulder pain, and often need to ask for help stowing my bag. Never had I had any reaction than friendly help. Often, the person who stowed my bag will offer to bring it down on landing. It would be lovely if the gate agents spotted elderly pax and offered assistance before boarding, but the pressures to get the flight out on time often preclude that. As always, it’s a matter of the pax not knowing ‘the rules’. All it takes is a warning to the traveller: take quick look around to ask for ‘a big strong man’ to help (with a smile) … they usually step right up.

19. jsn55 … Did I miss the part about checking the bag at the front counter ? Such foresight might avoid inconveniencing other people , no ? We are loathe to impose requests on FAs or other travelers .

20. You people who act like putting a carryon in the overhead is a life threatening, dangerous act are ridiculous. Get a grip. Have you ever in your life witnessed someone injured that way? 99% of you have not. If it’s so dangerous, then your solution is to leave it to passengers to get injured? What in the actual f***? If it’s too dangerous for flight attendants, then why even allow carryons at all? This whole reasoning is ludicrous. No other country views it this way, just entitled, spoiled american FAs that are so full of themselves because they did 3 weeks of training. Just help the old lady with her bag, you useless flight attendant. Service is your primary job, you soulless piece of unskilled labor.

21. That woman complaining about men dressing #1 is wrong, #2 should stop looking at mens crotches and #3 is a miserable person

22. @ mantis Cannot agree with you more ( other than the fear of nasty FAs that have promised my demise in an emergency ) For identification purposes FAs should know I am a six foot tall super model with karate skills ( Pfft) .

23. I carry my meds in my hand luggage along with anything of value. Two weeks ago I had over the counter vitamins in my suitcase and it was broken into TSA approved lock and the vitamins scattered all over. Someone would be disappointed that it wasn’t the ‘goog stuff’ but busted the lock and zip on the suitcase.

24. In daily life, most of us, probably including that flight attendant, would physically help an elderly person when asked, and ignore the very remote possibility of personal injury. Don’t understand why US FAs experience a sudden change in attitude as soon as they’re in their workplace.

25. @Jake-1 … Because the carry-on bags weigh 100 pounds ? And because they ought to have been checked in at the front desk ?

26. I’m 72 and female. I travel internationally. My carry on is a bit heavier because it contains what I’m told I cannot /should not check.

    My meds, laptop, a crap ton of lithium batteries for my photography equipment, custom prescription dive mask.

    I’ve never asked anyone to put my bag up even though it gets quite heavy. But I’ve had Emirates and Singapore Air attendants run down the aisle to offer to help, usually as I’m slinging it up there. Sure never had Delta attendant offer.

    Some of you seem to think these items only weigh a few ounces and what’s the big deal. Others can’t seem to fathom that all that is NOT going to fit under the seat.

    Not asking for help but a few of you could use a bit more common sense and I weep for how you must treat your older parents.

27. I would have put her bag up for her! Instead of saying what if…..we need to start reaching out to each other. To show respect instead of judgement!
    I am not a Christian I am a Humanist! Therefore I believe that everyone is connected. That positive energy grows and can make all our lives better.
    Maybe we need to ask….wwjd? Because i am quite sure he would do what a humanist would.

28. I think many would feel differently if it was your mother or grandmother. It wasn’t even a heavy roller bag. What is so hard about merely being kind? What have we become when we can’t show some compassion for and old woman traveling alone. So sad.

29. I was a passenger who was told FA do not lift suitcases to put in overhead compartment and ask another passenger to doit. But my FA was polite.

    I do check mine before we get on the plane because I know there are people who would help me but trying to get settled in their seat too.

30. Her bag looks a completely reasonable size. I have seen Singapore Airlines staff helping passengers put their bags in the overhead lockers so it’s definitely possible – just a matter of having a passenger-centric mindset.