A pregnant wellness influencer said she was “shocked” when a male flight attendant refused to put her 9-pound carry-on bag into an overhead compartment for her, news outlets report.
Australian model Dominique Elissa, 31, described the incident last week on the “Big Small Talk” podcast with host Sarah Jane Adams.
Ms. Elissa was flying from Sydney to Melbourne, according to Yahoo News.
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Ms. Elissa said she told the crew member she was pregnant and had injured herself the last time she lifted a bag. He said she would have to check the bag if she could not lift it herself.
She said the incident made her feel there is a lack of respect for pregnant women.
Several flight attendants said on Instagram that they are not allowed to lift passengers’ bags. One said crew members are not technically on the clock until the plane door closes and would not receive workers’ compensation if injured.
Taylor Garland, a spokeswoman for the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, told lifestyle website InsideHook that flight attendants are trained never to lift baggage because it is a leading cause of injury and could produce flight delays or cancellations.
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