The Chronicle

‘I’m a flight attendant and this act annoys us’

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A flight attendant has revealed an annoying thing passengers do before the aircraft has even taken off.

If you’re one to not properly stow your bag in the overhead locker — or worse yet, you have an oversized bag that doesn’t even fit — it’s bound to frustrate cabin crew.

In a viral TikTok titled Things that annoy flight attendants, Chris Kellum, who works on a budget US airline, vented his anger at the act, explaining why it is important to follow airline rules.

“If you place a larger bag in the overhead bin we ask that you make sure it closes before you take your seat,” he is heard saying over the speaker.

Chris, together 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 in the locker and letting half of it dangle out.

“Ma’am is this your bag in the overhead bin?” he asks.

Acting coy, the woman responds: “Which bag are you talking about?”

“The overhead bin is not closing, so unfortunat­ely it doesn’t fit and we’re gonna have to check your bag in,”

Chris says.

She then imitates a likely familiar line used by customers saying: “I don’t get it, the bag fit last time.”

Chris wanted to get the simple message across that if your bag doesn’t fit, then it will have to be checked in.

It also comes down to safety. While the rules vary for different airlines, some can have policies preventing flight attendants from lifting passengers’ suitcases, according to 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 down to pay, but if they get injured while performing the act, they’re not covered.

“We do not get paid until the boarding door is closed,” she said. “If we get hurt while putting that bag in the overhead bin, we do not get to write it off as an on-job injury.”

Kat Kamalani, a flight attendant for more than six years, said while it is “crazy” it is true that it’s not their job to lift luggage into the overhead lockers. “A tonne of airlines tell (flight attendants) not to do this,” she said.

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