ms.
 

it is unfair for seniors to pay for checked bags. i am small, and over 65, i can't lift a bag to the over head compartment.

Flight attendants will help you lift your bag into the overhead bin.

However, perhaps AARP ought to look into extra charges for people on fixed incomes.

This has been touched upon before. Not agreeing or disagreeing with the practice but flight attendants have been known to refuse to put bags in the overhead, even for those that can't do it themselves. I know there is such a case on the board somewhere but I don't feel like searching for it right now.

My advice is to ask a person sitting near you to help you put it in the overhead or bring a carryon that will fit under the seat in front of you.

Probably true there are some FA's that are next to useless. Most will help, as will fellow passengers.

Have discussed this with Flight attendant friends of mine (who work for American and Southwest) and was told that if they are injuried lifting a bag into the overhead, it is not considered an injury on duty and workmen's comp will not assist them. One of them was a American Flight attendant who said she helped lift a bag that was way overweight pulled her back was out of work for 3 weeks and was reprimmanded by her supervisor for being on the sick list so long, even though she was under medical care. Plus workmen's comp wouldn't pay stating the lifting of bags were not part of a flight attendants duties (under Texas workman comp rules). So that maybe why some flight attendants will not assist in stowing bags in overheads, other then pointing out empty spots. It is afterall "carry on'' baggage.