Originally Posted by
Brocc15
I wasn't talking about people "unwilling" to help, I was talking about people bragging about not helping others. If people don't want to help for their own personal reasons that's their prerogative, I just think its nice when people DO offer. There are many situations where people CAN do for themselves, but a little help is still nice. Example: If we are on a tight turn and the person I am flying with CAN get their own food, but since I am going in anyway I offer to get food for both of us. Or if someone is carrying stuff and they CAN open the door ahead, but its easier if I go ahead and hold it because I'm not carrying anything, I try to do that. It's simply being nice to other people. You are right though, it should not be EXPECTED, I think its too bad that people act entitled and it makes other people not want to help anyone.
Since I think my post started the trend, picking up on Bar's post, which was funny but not exactly related, let me be clear: noone here is bragging about not helping others.
I cringe when I see anyone that fails to be courteous or helpful to other employees, or our customers. I think it's our duty as pilots to set the right tone, and I'm not saying there are never times you can't help a F/A with their bag, if it's an unusual circumstance. I just don't do that routinely, and I certainly don't do it when it's obvious that I'm being asked to compensate for someone's choice to overpack.
This is a physical game, in the sense that your body has to work, or you can't make a living. I
already have problems with my back and shoulders, and lugging my own crap around is always an opportunity to hurt something. Once in a while I do, so this isn't a theoretical issue for me. So when it's a choice between chancing my family's primary source of income, and satisfying someone's expectation that I will compensate for their packing habits (and whatever they lift off the plane), my default decision is made.
The kind of people that help me make the decision are the kind of people that
tell me I will lift their bag because they can't.