By Samuel Ssenono
The International Air Transport Association has launched a new passenger safety campaign warning travellers not to take cabin baggage during aircraft evacuations.
The campaign, titled “Save a Life, Not a Bag,” urges passengers to follow crew instructions, leave all belongings behind and move quickly to the nearest usable exit during an emergency.
IATA says the campaign is backed by aviation safety regulators, including the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the United States Federal Aviation Administration.
The campaign follows growing concern over passengers stopping to pick bags from overhead bins or record videos during aircraft evacuations. Such actions can delay evacuation, block aisles, injure other passengers and damage evacuation slides.
“Taking bags during an evacuation is not a minor issue. Every second matters. Even taking one bag can affect the safe evacuation of everyone onboard,” said IATA Director General Willie Walsh.
Walsh said crew instructions during an evacuation are simple and must be followed without hesitation: leave everything behind and move quickly.
EASA Executive Director Florian Guillermet said aircraft are certified to strict evacuation standards and crews are trained for emergencies, but passengers must also play their part.
He said a rapid evacuation saves lives, especially in situations where every second counts.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said regulators are seeing more cases of passengers failing to follow crew instructions during emergencies.
“In those moments, compliance is critical,” Bedford said, adding that passengers must act quickly and leave all belongings behind.
IATA says taking baggage during an evacuation can slow movement through the cabin, block aisles and exits, prevent passengers from using their hands, injure others and puncture evacuation slides.
The association also warned that one passenger stopping to retrieve luggage can delay others and disrupt crew commands.
Research commissioned by IATA in the United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and Singapore found that although 80 percent of passengers said they knew what to do during an evacuation, only 61 percent correctly said they should leave all personal items behind.
The same survey found that one in ten passengers admitted they may still take baggage during an evacuation or follow others who do so, even when told not to.
IATA Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety and Security Nick Careen said the campaign is meant to be a blunt reminder of what is at stake.
“Even just a passenger or two taking a few extra seconds to gather personal items can endanger lives,” Careen said.
The campaign advises passengers to pay attention to safety demonstrations, keep essential items such as passports, money and medication on their person before take-off and landing, and avoid filming or taking photos during an emergency.
Its core message is simple: pay attention to crew, leave all baggage behind, do not film, keep moving and exit quickly.
IATA says campaign materials will be shared with airlines, media and other aviation industry partners to help educate passengers on safe evacuation behaviour.
