Are BA cabin crew told not to help a disabled passenger?

Might = fight

Whenever I fly I need passenger assistance to and from the aircraft ( there are issues around this occasionally but that’s for another thread). However, my understanding has always been that if I can’t look after myself properly on board the aircraft ,then I can’t travel alone. This is harsh but that’s life with disability once it gets to a certain stage. I don’t travel alone now but have found cabin staff always offer help or check if I’m ok on my way to the loo, which is nice in the middle of the night on long haul and dh is fast asleep. I am also extremely fortunate to have the most amazing bladder so can fly for hours between wees. Passenger assistance staff are (or should be) trained in helping you safely and it’s their actual job. I really expect nothing from cabin staff that they wouldn’t do for anyone else because it’s simply not fair to put them it that position. There are lots of hard realities about being disabled but one of them is having to accept that your independence and choice gets gradually whittled away - it does mean that I might like hell to keep all the help and assistance that I think it’s reasonable and fair to have provided.

I think this is something they do out of the goodness of their hearts/ because they think the rules are ridiculous Grannyknot. They most likely wouldn’t have the company’s backing if god forbid something bad happened, and quite possibly risked being in trouble if they were reported.

I have seen air stewards walking around soothing babies on an Emirates flight and also on a Virgin flight...

When my OH was waiting for me to retire ( and then move abroad) a friend asked him if he would drive an ambulance for our local centre for adults with learning difficulties.
On one of their many 'training' days, otherwise known as 'stating the bleeding obvious days' they were told that in the event of a fire in the vehicle, under no circumstances to attempt to save the occupants. Most of the passengers were wheelchair bound.
They were also informed that in future when pushing the wheelchair out into the road: push the wheelchair out first!!!
Obviously my OH followed this command.
He did eventually get an official warning. He went to pick up 'service user' ( the terminology then) Got no answer, called through the letter box and could hear her shouting for help and was obviously in pain. He kicked the front door in. She had fallen out of bed and had broken her hip.

No it’s not pathetic OldMeg it’s pathetic that everyone particularly Americans sue for everything
Of course the hostess couldn’t hold the baby she could have been accused of anything ( babies need to go in the loo with you however difficult it is) I would not give it to a stranger to hold either but that’s me I know they can’t run off with it but I just wouldn’t
It’s the modern culture caused it and we re all to blame for that (well not me as I ve never sued anybody if I fall over no ones to blame but me)

This was also true in the shopping centre where my son used to work as security. He once got a ticking off for helping a mum carry her pram down the stairs when the lift was out of order.

As others have said it’s to stop the company being sued if the help doesn’t go quite as planned. Our horrible compensation culture has a lot to answer for!

We went on a coach trip last year.
The driver stood at the bottom of the steps and announced that we could use him to steady ourselves but he couldn’t help us. Barmy! He clearly thought so too.

That’s pathetic ?

Yes, exactly that. Turbulence, passenger falls over, sues airline etc.

Crazy isn’t it?
However it will all be to do with litigation, customers suing because they have fallen over and blaming the staff etc.

Similar has happened to my son's wife. She was travelling alone with their baby of a few months. She needed the loo and asked cabin crew to hold him but they refused, saying it was against company policy

Luckily a business man in a smart suit took pity on her and held the baby while nature called!

I think there are policies in place to prevent a client touching a member of staff. I've heard it recently, in relation to a carer or nurse. A step too far!

Did anyone help you get on the plane or were you left to get on with it ?