A pregnant wellness influencer said she was “shocked” and felt disrespected when a male flight attendant refused to lift her nine-pound carry-on bag into the overhead compartment for her.
Dominique Elissa, 31, recounted the incident on the “Big Small Talk” podcast last week, telling host Sarah Jane Adams that the crew member told her she had to check her bag if she couldn’t lift it.
“I was on a flight the other day. I asked the flight attendant, ‘Can you please put my bag over my head, like I’m pregnant,'” the Australian model said.
“And the flight attendant said, ‘If you can’t lift…’, he didn’t lift it. He said, ‘I can’t help you, sorry.’ Yeah, he said, ‘I can’t help you.’ He was a man,” Elissa said.
“And then I said, ‘Well, I’m actually pregnant; I would really appreciate it if you could help me because last time I hurt myself.’
“He says, ‘Well, if you’re not able to lift your bag over your head, you need to tape it.’ And it wasn’t a big bag,” she continued.
The exchange about the unspecified flight left her “shocked” and made her feel there was a “lack of respect” for pregnant women, Elissa said.
Dominique Elissa poses in a photo published on Instagram on October 6, 2026. Instagram/@dominiquelissa
Several flight attendants took to the comments section on Instagram, arguing that they simply weren’t allowed to lift passengers’ bags.
“The reason is because technically we’re not on time until the gate closes, so if we get hurt while boarding we don’t get workers’ compensation…sorry,” one wrote.
Much of the rest of the comments section was filled with people from both sides of the proverbial aisle.
“You literally just said you injured yourself lifting your own bag. If you can’t handle your own bag, check your bag (it’s free). Also, pregnancy is not a disability,” said one angry commenter.
Elissa said the experience made her think there was a “lack of respect” for pregnant women. Instagram/@dominiquelissa
“My God!!! If I was here I would have jumped at 64 and lifted him for you!!! What a shame!! I’m sure he didn’t weigh 35 pounds like my 3 year old grandson,” one woman wrote.
Industry insiders have long noted that crew members are not allowed to lift bags because it poses a disability.
“Flight attendants are trained to never lift passengers’ luggage because it is one of the leading causes of injuries,” Taylor Garland, spokesperson for the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, told Inside Hook.
“In addition to the economic and health risks for flight attendants, this could lead to a delay or even cancellation of a flight.”
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