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 in 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 crewmember told her she needed 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 above my head, like, I’m pregnant,'” the Aussie model said.

“And the flight attendant said, ‘If you can’t lift—,’ he didn’t lift it up. He goes, ‘I can’t help you, sorry.’ Yeah, he said, ‘I can’t help you.’ It was a man,” Elissa recounted.

“And then I said, ‘Well, I’m actually pregnant; I’d really appreciate it if you could help me because last time I injured myself.’

“He goes, ‘Well, if you’re not able to lift your bag above your head, you have to check it in.’ And it wasn’t a big bag,” she continued.

The exchange on the unspecified flight left her “shocked” and feeling like there was a “lack of respect” for pregnant women, said Elissa.

Dominique Elissa poses in a photo posted to Instagram on Oct. 6, 2026. Instagram/@dominiquelissa

Multiple flight attendants took to the comment section on Instagram, arguing that they were simply not allowed to lift bags for passengers.

“The reason why is because we’re technically not on the clock until the boarding door closes so if we get hurt while boarding, we don’t get workers comp… sorry,” one wrote.

Much of the rest of the comment section was filled with people on both sides of the proverbial aisle.

“You literarily just said you got injured lifting your own bag. If you can’t handle your own carry on, check your bag (it’s free). Also, pregnancy is not a disability,” one irate commenter ranted.

Elissa said the experience made her think there’s a “lack of respect” for pregnant women. Instagram/@dominiquelissa

“OMGoodness!!! If I was there I would have jumped up at 64 and lifted it for you!!! How shameful!! I’m certain it wasn’t 35lbs like my 3yo grandson,” a woman wrote.

Industry insiders have long noted that crew members are not allowed to lift bags because it is a liability.

“Flight attendants are trained never to lift baggage for passengers because it’s a leading cause of injury,” 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.”