Flight Attendant Refuses To Help Disabled Elderly First-Class Passenger Stow Her Belongings — Then Calls Security On Her
This situation went from bad to worse in the blink of an eye.
Yaroslav Astakhov | Shutterstock It was supposed to be a routine flight, but according to a Reddit post, for one elderly first-class passenger, it quickly turned into a humiliating ordeal. The passenger on a United flight made a simple request of the flight attendant. Help her place a small purse and a collapsed cane into the overhead bin, but it escalated into an aggressive confrontation, a delay on the tarmac, and the involvement of security. The incident, witnessed by a fellow traveler who shared the experience with a video on social media, sparked a wave of concern about how airlines treat disabled passengers.
While airline staff are expected to follow safety regulations and union guidelines, many are questioning where empathy fits in — and whether this particular flight attendant crossed a line.
A flight attendant refused to help a disabled passenger stow her belongings in the overhead bin.
The woman, seated in a bulkhead first-class seat with no under-seat storage, politely asked the flight attendant for help placing her small belongings overhead. Rather than responding with professionalism or compassion, the flight attendant reportedly snapped. Citing union rules and loudly voicing concern about potential injury, she denied the woman’s request in a manner that was more combative than compassionate.
According to the witness, the passenger remained calm and explained she was disabled and needed help. “She flies all the time with United and never had this happen before,” the observer noted. “It was heartbreaking to watch.”
Another passenger stepped in, but it was too late to help the elderly woman.
Seeing the situation unfold, another passenger tried to help. The Redditor wrote, "Another passenger quietly stood up and put the purse and cane in the bin for her. The [flight attendant] then angrily slammed the bins closed and stomped back to her jump seat."
Soon after, the pilot announced that the plane would be returning to the gate. Security boarded to speak with the elderly passenger, reportedly because the flight attendant claimed she “felt uncomfortable.” The passenger witness wrote, "Everyone around was stunned — it was exactly the opposite (the FA was the one who was being aggressive and yelling at this poor old lady).
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Thankfully, security did not view a threat, and the flight was able to take off without further incident. However, everyone who observed the interaction was rattled. The passenger who shared the tale on Reddit explained, "Honestly, I feel so bad for the disabled lady. It was heartbreaking to watch someone who just needed a little help get treated like that. I get that due union regs the FA’s aren’t supposed to help with heavy bags (but this was a tiny purse and collapsed cane, like probably 2lb each tops). Even if the FA can’t do it, she could’ve calmly said 'I’m so sorry, I’m not allowed to do it, maybe someone else can assist' rather than get super agro and call security."
Airline staff are restricted in what they can lift, but the Department of Transportation has different rules for disabled passengers.
Yes, airline staff are restricted in what they can lift, particularly due to union rules and liability concerns. Obviously, a purse and cane likely didn't breach the weight restrictions, but according to the Department of Transportation, that's besides the point. Government policy clearly states, "Once a passenger with a disability has boarded, airlines must provide assistance, if requested, such as: moving to or from the lavatory, including using an on-board chair to assist if requested and stowing and retrieving carry-on items, including assistive devices."
Hopefully, this incident was a one-off and the flight attendant was simply having a bad day, but belittling a passenger who needs assistance was not a good look for the employee or United Airlines.
Erika Ryan is a writer working on her bachelor's degree in Journalism. She is based in Florida and covers relationships, psychology, self-help, and human interest topics.
