Is Every Service on Commercial Flights “a la carte” ?!!?

Nowadays it seems as though every domestic flight on a large commercial air carrier is “a la carte.” As the cartoon sent to me in a solicitation for New Yorker Magazine suggests, even safety may finally be “pay to play.”

As many first and business class passengers get to check a bag without charge, and regular customers do not, these “second” and “third class” flyers cram even more belongings into their carry-on luggage. These heavy bags present increasing dangers to their fellow passengers, but also to crew members who are asked to help fit them overhead, or who must take them off the plane for gate checking. The Herndon Law firm has been contacted by travelers injured by bags falling out of the overhead beens, tumbling down escalators, and slipping while being hoisted into place. Flight attendants and ground crews are reporting injuries from lifting very dense bags that are packed to the bursting point in order to save money for travelers unwilling to pay baggage checking fees.

“Workers compensation claims for flight attendants with neck, beck and shoulder strains, sprains and herniated discs seem to be on the rise, notes airport workers comp lawyer Landau. Torn rotator cuff, lumbar and cervical spine injuries often leave permanent deficits. Innocent pilots, flight attendants, baggage handlers, airport gate and ticketing agents are often the innocent victims of this new game – “who can pack the most stuff into their overhead bin bag.” There should be a size AND a weight limitation to carry on items. Putting the equivalent of a small weight-lifting set above someone’s head, after it has been rolled onto an aircraft, is a certain recipe for disaster notes Landau. If you or someone you know or care for has been injured as the result of an airport terminal, airplane or other air travel related accident and there are questions about what laws apply, e-mail or call us at ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. (703-796-9555) at once.