11.1 Cabin Area Hand Luggage
Each airline has different allowances when it comes to passenger hand luggage. Some allow only enough to fit in the overhead lockers, whereas others may allow for under seat baggage too. All hand luggage must be secure before the flight takes off, during the flight, and prior to landing. Part of your job as a cabin crew member is to make sure this happens. Each bag must be either secured in the overhead lockers, or safely stowed underneath the seat.
The size of the bags passengers bring must also be considered during boarding, as there are restrictions on how much one person can carry, due to the lack of storage space in most overhead lockers and under-seat storage. Without stowing hand luggage away securely, aisles could become blocked, creating a dangerous situation if an emergency were to occur. When size becomes an issue, it's the cabin crew who will need to take the bag that's over the restriction limit and place it into holding in the cargo bay, before the flight can take off.
Another issue cabin crew are responsible for is ensuring that weight limitations are adhered to for safety purposes. Most passengers assume that weight restrictions are in place to levy charges. That's not the case as it's for safety reasons the weight restrictions are in place. Overhead lockers are not designed to take a power of weight on them. It can lead to the door swinging open, with luggage falling out when flying through turbulent air.
The maximum weight a passenger can carry may be as low as 8 kilograms on smaller aircrafts, but on larger jets, the baggage weight can increase to as much as 81 kilograms. The industry norm tends to be 10KG, plus a small purse. As it's the job of cabin crew to assist passengers, you may injure yourself while lifting the baggage into the overhead lockers, and other injuries while trying to get the locker door closed and secured. This is another physical strain cabin crew members will face, and you will need to train in safe lifting techniques to minimize the risk of back injury occurring. A view of the overhead lockers / compartments from inside an aircraft
11.2 Security Guidelines and Hand Luggage
The security guidelines surrounding hand luggage begin on the ground. There are restrictions on the amount of liquids a person can take. This does not just apply to fluids, it can include baby milk, baby food, makeup, and suncreams. Unless a passenger can prove that they purchased the liquids after the security checks, they cannot bring them on-board.
Passengers may also want to bring medications on-board. For some passengers, these medications will help them get through the flight. When it comes to others, the medications are necessary for ensuring they live. For example, a diabetic is highly likely to need insulin
with them—especially if they are a type-1 diabetic.
However, the survival of everyone on-board is central to your role. As such, if the passenger in question does not have a doctors' note confirming what the medication is and why they need to use it, they cannot bring it on-board the flight. Many passengers also need to bring a wheelchair, sticks, or a pushchair with them. Althoughsome airlines and countries dictate that it is necessary to check these items in immediately, others may state that cabin crew members stow them away after the passenger boards the flight. In most cases, this means taking the item in question down to the cargo hold.
After this, the item is left in a particular part of the destination airport. It is worth bearing in mind that the airline is responsible for the cost of any items that are broken. As such, you too are responsible for them. You need to stow all items away correctly, and prove that you followed appropriate procedures. If anything then goes wrong, you cannot receive the blame.
Finally, you must learn to recognise dangerous articles that must be confiscated from a passenger after they board the flight. This can include razors, certain types of lighters, and any other implements that have the potential to cause harm. If you are unsure as to whether something needs confiscating, ask yourself:
1.Could it harm me or someone else in its current form
2.Could it be adapted easily to harm me or someone else?
3.If you are unsure as to whether this is the case, you should always ask the senior cabin crew member. They can confirm your conclusion, or alleviate your fears.
In this module, you will learned what passenger hand luggage is. Surprisingly, the definition can vary between airlines. This means cabin crew members need to learn different definitions when working for different airlines. Cabin luggage can also pose a security and safety threat. If it is not stowed correctly, it can hurt someone as it falls during turbulence. In addition, it is an area where threatening passengers can stow items and substances that could threaten others. Knowing more about luggage and what passengers can and cannot carry is central to your role. Not only does it keep you safe, it helps others also.
.svg)
