Claire Reid
With so many of us set to jet off on a summer holiday in the upcoming days and weeks, one flight attendant has explained why airline staff won’t put your bags in the overhead lockers for you.
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 she even suggests that holidaymakers exercise some caution when it comes to lifting their bags into the overhead.
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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.
It's become such a common issue 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.
Kat, who has been a flight attendant for six years, spoke about this myth in the short clip and continued: “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.”
However, Kat did add attendants will 'assist' customers if they ask and that passengers could always seek assistance from others on the flight.
She advised people to check information placards on the plane, as these will often give extra details about how to store suitcases and bags.
“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 also advised her followers to raise their case above their heads at home before travelling, telling her followers on TikTok: “…I always say if you can’t lift…don’t bring it.”
If they struggle, she suggests leaving items behind or swapping to a smaller bag, which can be tucked under their seats during flights.
This will help customers avoid the charges that come with storing additional bags in the hold.
The TikTok star has gained over 28 million likes with her helpful hints and is a must for anyone hoping to fly later this year.
Kat even shared how she’d moved from the mainland US to Hawaii with her family, revealing how she’d coped with the six and half hour flight.