Lugging Pax Carry On's

[Mookie]

My GF's flies for Alaska, and the airline expects them to assist passengers with their carry on's and has started posting memo's about how to "lift" pax bags. Obviously, this is a potential safety hazard. What is the policy for other airlines?

Mookie

 

[acaTerry]

I know what it should be....not the FA's job!!!!

 

[BornAgainPagan]

My GF's flies for Alaska, and the airline expects them to assist passengers with their carry on's and has started posting memo's about how to "lift" pax bags. Obviously, this is a potential safety hazard. What is the policy for other airlines?

Mookie

Do Alaska FA's have a union contract? If so, is requiring FA's to assist with bags a contract violation? If no to either one, then your GF should organize a union, rally the FA's for a better contract or quit.

Taking a bath is a "potential safety hazard".

 

[wms]

They're not asking them to load the bags, just ASSIST the pax. There's nothing wrong with putting a little service back into the service industry. At least they're still young enough to lift their own carry-ons!

 

[acaTerry]

They're not asking them to load the bags, just ASSIST the pax. There's nothing wrong with putting a little service back into the service industry. At least they're still young enough to lift their own carry-ons!

Easy for you to say from your little RJ! The bins in those are small so it's easy. But I travel frequently as a revenue passenger on mainline carriers and too many times I see the FAs....yes even the fit, young, pretty ones...having to lift a bag into the bin that is too heavy for the passenger (usually just a fata$$ lazy bum, not old) to do themself.
This is not about service, it's about irresponsible airline mgt policies that leave crews holding the bag. "Too expensive to check the bag? I got it! I'll carry it on! Damn this suckers heavy. I'll just roll it on the wheels and get the 'stewardess' to load it".
Suckers weight 40 lbs or more...
Now how would you like to take a 33% paycut for workers comp from hurting yourself by loading that bin with a big bag? Don't forget these gals are still running on a paycut from before.
FA assistance with bags should be limited to turning bags that are already loaded so as to make room for more.

 

[BushwickBill]

Plus airlines are charging so much for bags everyone is taking as much as they can carry on.

 

[TheRaven]

You Bring it, you sling it.

 

[wms]

Easy for you to say from your little RJ! The bins in those are small so it's easy. But I travel frequently as a revenue passenger on mainline carriers and too many times I see the FAs....yes even the fit, young, pretty ones...having to lift a bag into the bin that is too heavy for the passenger (usually just a fata$$ lazy bum, not old) to do themself.
This is not about service, it's about irresponsible airline mgt policies that leave crews holding the bag. "Too expensive to check the bag? I got it! I'll carry it on! Damn this suckers heavy. I'll just roll it on the wheels and get the 'stewardess' to load it".
Suckers weight 40 lbs or more...
Now how would you like to take a 33% paycut for workers comp from hurting yourself by loading that bin with a big bag? Don't forget these gals are still running on a paycut from before.
FA assistance with bags should be limited to turning bags that are already loaded so as to make room for more.

I agree that mgmt has opened a can of worms for the crews to dig through with their disfunctional bag fee policies.

However, I commute 4 times a week on ML and see time and time again some bitter old battle axe griping about doing a job that is service-centered and then attaching the jumpseat to her butt for the duration of the flight. I went to the galley once to get a coffee refill (as a REVENUE pax) and she just pointed at the pot without looking up from her magazine. Customer service at the airlines is horendous and a large part is due to disgruntled sr mamas "that hate to fly and it shows."

The job is what it is, and if they can't or don't want to do it, they should leave.

 

[acaTerry]

I agree that mgmt has opened a can of worms for the crews to dig through with their disfunctional bag fee policies.

However, I commute 4 times a week on ML and see time and time again some bitter old battle axe griping about doing a job that is service-centered and then attaching the jumpseat to her butt for the duration of the flight. I went to the galley once to get a coffee refill (as a REVENUE pax) and she just pointed at the pot without looking up from her magazine. Customer service at the airlines is horendous and a large part is due to disgruntled sr mamas "that hate to fly and it shows."

The job is what it is, and if they can't or don't want to do it, they should leave.

I hear you loud and clear, and I agree. The point I was making is that "helping" pax with carry-on luggage is not their job. Insofar as your experiences airlining, I feel it too, every week.