Quit hitting on me and help me out

[Hvr]

Ah, the 6am flight.


If you're awake enough and coherent enough, it's the perfect opportunity to observe human behaviour at its most peculiar and, often, at its worst.


It's also a bit of a corporate meat market. A fair assumption would be that very few people begin their holiday on a 6am flight, so most of the grumpy, sleepy sardines crammed into the metal tube hurtling through the air at that time of the morning are travelling for work.

...

Has anyone ever helped pop my bag up into the overhead compartment? Nope. Have I seen any other woman helped? Nope.


This week, an engineer in his 50s just stood there in the aisle, his hands clasped, as I played Olympic weight-lifting with my suitcase right in front of him. Just stood there, looking intently at the sticky carpet. Probably afraid to chip a nail or something.

Read more: Quit hitting on me and help me out
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Whilst I empathise with the frustration at being 'hit on' I am amazed at the expectation that you expect someone to lift your heavy case.

If you're going to work in corporate then you need to pack lightly and be responsible for your own baggage. Both literally and personally.

Oh and how do you know that the "engineer in his 50s" is actually fit enough to lift your heavy case? Maybe he has a back injury or other reason he cannot lift your heavy case.

Seems to me that this is an example of sexist behaviour by the author. If a man said a woman was afraid she'd chip a nail or something when she was avoiding a task there would be accusations of sexist pig, probably led by the author.

Why is she happy to indulge in accusations she would be furious to be accused of? Methinks the lady doth protest too much.

 

[erkpod]

Shouldn't the heavy case be in the bottom of the aircraft?

If you can't lift it, don't bring it?

 

[Must...Fly!]

What a sense of entitlement this person has...she's probably the first one to complain about having to get up for someone sitting in the window as well...

 

[marki]

Max carry on is 7 Kg so Oops too much in that onboard suitcase!

 

[Pushka]

I'm a female and if I can't lift up my case then I don't expect anyone else to either. Expecting otherwise is playing the gender card.

 

[Intra]

Woop de DO! Female here just exploiting her position as a journalist to complain how she "thinks" she should be "privileged" to have help with her obviously over-weight carry-on....

....and she wonders why she always gets the Middle seat....

 

[marki]

Hey Pushka, translates literally meaning "Can" like in can of soup

A female can

No pun intended

 

[Pushka]

Having said that, if a guy (or a gal) helps me out I don't snap back at them with a feminist line either. I open doors for everyone and if someone opens a door for me I thank them.

I think it's really hard for guys to know what's the best thing to do these days.

 

[drron]

I still open doors for women.A few years ago I received a spray for doing so.I just replied-"Sorry,I mistook you for a lady."

 

[get me outta here]

There's something a bit odd about this 'woman' should be plural women, and how did anyone know he was an engineer. Or did I miss something as I couldn't open the link due to popup blocker.

..." Have I seen any other woman helped? Nope. This week, an engineer in his 50s"

 

[Clivem]

just a quick google check and I think the author of the piece is very likely to be the significant other of the Michael Smith of 4BC / 2UE back in the day .....Their wedding got a few newspaper column inches in its own right.............. mainly for the interesting way some guests travelled to the big day (Barnaby ?) .............. I think it is' that' Katarina Kroslakova .......?


Just call it basic old fashion investigative journalistic curiosity on my part .......


Ohhhh ...... I need to fess up now ...... I also did do a google image search just to check out the author's almost self promoting, claiming ' hit ability ' factor ...................

If you want me I'll be in naughty corner ......... doing bench presses with the rest of the group so we can easily help hoist up those heavy carry-ons ......... Just to get one of her big smiles .

 

[Robert K]

her twitter account seems to have closed. probably couldn't handle the critiquing of her 'jounalism'

 

[Clivem]

It also shows how 'tight' things must be in the newspaper world if the editor of the AFR ....lifestyle and leisure input....... Is having to cool her heels in the middle seat of row 10 ......... You can only assume she has not picked up the tips from the A.F.F. on how to secure a better seat................................

And to quote her final 'dismount' (final dismount really ????? was she 'channelling ' Nadia Comaneci while she penned this gem ?) -" Even before the seatbelt sign goes off, the jackets get put on, the suitcases get territorially placed in the aisle, and the competitive rush to get off that plane begins"

I have seen people get ready to de-plane sure .......but suitcases in the aisle before the seat belt sign off .......... come on ........

 

[BadgerBoi]

her twitter account seems to have closed. probably couldn't handle the critiquing of her 'jounalism'

Perhaps it's because The Age of Entitlement (tm) is over?

If the poor little thing is so delicate that she can't lift her own carry-on, I doubt that she's tough enough to be a journalist.

 

[JohnM]

I still open doors for women.A few years ago I received a spray for doing so.I just replied-"Sorry,I mistook you for a lady."

I do the same. I've never received a spray - but plenty of times not the slightest acknowledgement or thanks .

I have a policy of never helping people with their luggage - carry-on or at the carousel. I can envisage hurting my back while they just stroll off.

 

[Rox]

I'm a bit conflicted by this - I'm old enough to appreciate a gentleman offering help ( and would never be rude)But if it was offered where clearly not needed, I would feel a bit patronized.
Do we know how tall the journalist is?
If you're too short to reach the overhead lovers(oops lockers) you are always going to need help.

 

[Blinky]

In situations like this I often ask "do you want a hand" and have never, ever been criticised for the offer. Some have accepted the offer, most didn't, but I can't see how a polite offer of assistance can do any harm at all.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

In my vast experience - women that think they're only being 'hit on all the time' generally have very little to offer.

The passenger behind her was probably eyeing off the same overhead space!

 

[JohnK]

I help out where possible.

In the USA I helped a nun who was struggling with her carry-on. I carried it for her a fair distance to her gate which was out of the way of my gate. I don't mind.

I think it's really hard for guys to know what's the best thing to do these days.

Some have given up trying.

 

[Isochronous]

That's what 40 years of militant aggressive feminazism has done. The women wanted equality, so now they are treated like men.