Have you seen those social media posts of passengers grabbing their carry-ons before jumping on the slide to evacuate an airplane during an emergency?
That’s scary. And dangerous.
As is the fact that other passengers waste precious time stopping to videotape the evacuation frenzy before getting off the plane.
As it wraps up its Annual General Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil this week, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) is launching a global passenger safety campaign to draw attention to this life-threatening behavior.
Titled, Save a Life, Not a Bag” the campaign urges travelers not to take cabin baggage during an aircraft evacuation.
In the video, wild animals play the role of misbehaving passengers.
“We are seeing an increasing number of passengers not following flight crew instructions during emergencies. In those moments, compliance is critical. Passengers must act quickly, follow instructions without hesitation, and leave all belongings behind. Safety is a shared responsibility, and informed, attentive passengers help ensure a faster, safer evacuation for everyone on board,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.
“Every second matters. Even taking one bag can affect the safe evacuation of everyone onboard,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s outgoing Director General, “Crew instructions are clear and simple: leave everything behind and move quickly.”
Here’s one of the videos in the campaign that you may see on your next flight or on social media.
Research shows there’s a real problem
IATA surveyed air travelers in four markets (US, UK, UAE, and Singapore) and found that many passengers really don’t know how important is it to leave bags and other items behind in an emergency.
Here are some of the alarming stats from the survey:
- While 80% of those surveyed claimed to know what to do in an emergency evacuation, only 61% correctly answered that they should leave all personal items and exit the aircraft.
- 33% said that they had seen reports of people taking their baggage during an evacuation. Of these, 22% indicated that they are likely to do the same.
- One in ten passengers admitted they may still take baggage during an evacuation, or follow others who do, even when instructed not to.
What’s the big deal with stopping to grab your bags?
IATA notes that taking baggage during an evacuation can slow movement through the cabin, block aisles and exits, prevent passengers from using their hands, and injure others.
Here’s a leaflet for IATA’s “Safe a Life, Not a Bag,” campaign that spells out what to do in case of an emergency.
Take a few seconds to review the leaftlet and watch the video now.
