Pregnant influencer stunned after flight attendant refused to put her bag in overhead bin

An influencer who is expecting her first child has sparked a fiery debate online after complaining about how she was treated during her travels.

Dominique Elissa, 31, explained that she was left stunned after a flight attendant turned down her request to help her put her carry-on luggage into an overhead locker.

Despite pointing out that she was pregnant and had previously injured herself doing this task, she claims that she was instructed to check the bag in - and ultimately was forced to rely on a kind stranger for assistance.

Elissa, a model who hails from Australia, detailed her travel dilemma during a recent episode of the Big Small Talk podcast.

According to an Instagram post she shared back in April announcing her pregnancy with husband Tom Bull, she is set to give birth sometime this month.

The social media star has been keeping her 303,000 followers updated ahead of her little one's arrival and recently shared a clip of her packing her 'hospital must haves' and how she is preparing for being postpartum.

In the podcast episode which dropped last Wednesday (7 October), Elissa opened up about her experience of pregnancy and how there seems to be a 'lack of respect' for women who are with child.

She explained that while taking a flight, she asked a male member of cabin crew to help her put her bag - which she estimated weighed around four kilograms - in the overhead bin.

The mum-to-be said her husband had instructed her to ask for help rather than do it herself, due to her being heavily pregnant.

Elissa said: "And the flight attendant said, 'If you can’t lift—'...he didn’t lift it up. He goes, 'I can’t help you, sorry'. He said, 'I can’t help you'. It was a man."

She continued: "And then I said, 'Well, I’m actually pregnant; I’d really appreciate it if you could help me because last time I injured myself'.

"He goes, 'Well, if you’re not able to lift your bag above your head, you have to check it in'. And it wasn’t a big bag. I was just so shocked."

Elissa recalled how she then began frantically texting her husband as she 'didn't know what to do' in terms of stowing her bag away, or how she would retrieve it at the end of the flight.

"The flight attendant didn’t come and help me," she went on. "The guy [sat] next to me, I think he saw my text messages, was like 'Would you like me to get your bag?'

"I feel this lack of respect for pregnant women at the moment, now that I'm pregnant."

Elissa did not reveal the name of the airline she travelled with, but her experience has sparked quite the discussion online.

Although some people couldn't believe she wasn't given help by cabin crew, others suggested that it was actually down to rules in the aviation industry.

One person commented under the clip: "It is actually not their job to lift bags, regardless of your situation. If they get hurt lifting anyone’s bag they’re not covered by workers compensation."

Another commented: "That’s just rubbish customer service."

A third added: "There's an old saying in aviation...'You pack it, you stack it. You tow it, you stow it. You bring it, you sling it'. Pregnant or not, it's not cabin crew responsibility to lift your bag."

While a fourth chimed in saying: "I would help instantly - I also help people who have buggies with stairs."

Can cabin crew help you store your luggage?

According to previous guidance issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), cabin crew 'should provide minimal assistance with passenger carry-on baggage and encourage passengers to stow their own baggage'.

It explains that flight attendants should 'avoid lifting carry-on baggage into overhead lockers but, if no other solution can be found, the crew member should assess the baggage and, if necessary, request assistance before lifting it'.

The CAA adds: "If the baggage is considered too heavy to lift, it should be placed beneath passenger seats or removed to the aircraft hold.

"Individual company policy on the maximum weight and size of carry-on baggage should be clearly stated and strictly applied so as to reduce manual handling risks."