A system for reducing the manual force required to move a lowerable shell of a luggage compartment in a passenger aircraft includes a load determination device for determining a load acting on the lowerable shell of the luggage compartment, and a state detection device for detecting whether the lowerable shell is in a closed position or an open position. The system also includes a force assisting device for applying a constant assisting force which opposes the load acting on the lowerable shell. The system further includes an actuating device adapted to move the force assisting device from a first inactive operating state to a second active operating state when the lowerable shell is in the open position and the load acting on the lowerable shell exceeds a predetermined threshold value.