Pregnant Influencer Claims Flight Attendant Refused To Help Lift Luggage

A 31-year-old Australian influencer named Dominique shared a podcast episode recounting her dispute with a flight attendant over lifting cabin luggage while pregnant. The incident, broadcast on the podcast Big Small Talk and covered by 20min.ch, has reignited a global debate regarding the responsibilities of airline cabin crews during boarding.

Flight Attendant Refuses to Help Pregnant Passenger with Suitcase

During the episode, Dominique stated that she asked a flight attendant to help place her suitcase in the overhead bin because she was pregnant and had injured herself on a previous trip. According to her account, the flight attendant refused and replied, If you cannot lift your bag over your head, you have to check it.

The 31-year-old did not name the airline involved in the exchange. She expressed shock at the interaction, characterizing the crew member’s response as a lack of respect toward pregnant passengers. The comments section of the digital report drew sharply divided reactions from travelers, with some users defending the passenger’s need for assistance while others argued that travelers must manage their own belongings.

Diverging Crew Rules Across Global Airlines

There is no branchenwide rule mandating whether cabin staff must assist passengers with hand luggage. Policies vary significantly by carrier.

A Lufthansa flight attendant previously told the publication Travelbook that stowing bags is not an official duty of the cabin crew. According to that account, any injury sustained while lifting a passenger’s bag—such as a strain, slipped disc, or lumbago—would not be classified as a workplace accident. While staff may assist voluntarily with lighter items, the carrier’s public guidance directs travelers to store their own belongings.

Other airlines enforce strict no-lifting protocols. South Korea’s Asiana Airlines introduced a rule in January 2025 requiring all passengers to lift their own hand luggage into overhead bins, with exceptions for individuals with reduced mobility, elderly travelers, and pregnant passengers.

Current Policies at Swiss and Edelweiss

Swiss instructs passengers through public guidelines on how to store hand luggage, directing larger trolleys to overhead compartments and smaller bags underneath the seat ahead. The airline states that its cabin crew helps passengers with physical disabilities locate storage space, but it does not guarantee that staff will physically lift heavy bags.

Edelweiss maintains a similar policy, setting an eight-kilogram weight limit for cabin items to ensure they fit in overhead compartments or under seats. The carrier provides explicit assistance for travelers with restricted mobility, though it requires passengers to request this support at least 48 hours before departure. Whether the flight attendant who spoke with Dominique faced similar institutional restrictions remains unconfirmed.