“Save a life, not a bag.” A global campaign to prevent passengers from collecting their luggage while evacuating planes

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) launched a new global campaign under the slogan “Save a life, not a bag” (Save a Life, Not a Bag), in an attempt to stop an increasing behavior among some travelers of retrieving their personal bags during emergency aircraft evacuations, which may turn crucial seconds into a tragedy that threatens the lives of all passengers.

The global campaign was launched with the support of the European Aviation Safety Agency and the US Federal Aviation Administration, with the aim of establishing a clear message to travelers, which is to follow the instructions of the cabin crew, leave all luggage and move immediately towards the nearest exit.

Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association, said that taking bags during evacuation “is not a simple matter,” explaining that every second is crucial in emergency situations, and that the fact that just one passenger stops to collect his belongings may affect the safety of everyone on board the plane.

Only 90 seconds

The campaign is based on a fact that many travelers may not realize, which is that commercial aircraft are designed and certified according to safety standards that require that they can be completely evacuated within only 90 seconds in emergency situations.

However, a study conducted by the International Air Transport Association, which included travelers from several markets, showed that only 18% of participants were aware of this standard, while 38% thought that the evacuation process might take three minutes or more.

The results of the study showed that 80% of the participants confirmed their knowledge of the procedures that must be followed during evacuation, but only 61% answered correctly that they must leave all their personal belongings inside the plane.

The study also revealed that a third of the participants had seen reports or video clips of passengers taking their bags during evacuation operations, while 22% of them admitted that they might do the same.

Even more worrying is that one in ten passengers admitted that they might try to take their luggage or follow others in doing so, even when given direct instructions not to do so by crew.

Florian Guillermet, Executive Director of the European Aviation Safety Agency, stressed that rapid evacuation saves lives, noting that aircraft crews receive extensive training in managing emergency situations, but the success of the operation also depends on passengers’ full compliance with instructions.

He explained that retrieving bags slows down the movement of passengers inside the cabin, disrupts access to emergency exits, increases the possibility of tripping or injury, as well as the possibility of damaging the pneumatic evacuation chutes that passengers rely on to exit the plane quickly and safely.

For his part, Brian Bedford, Director of the US Federal Aviation Administration, said that the authorities are witnessing an increase in the number of cases in which some travelers do not adhere to the instructions of aircraft crews during emergencies.

He added that safety is a shared responsibility, and that passengers who act quickly and adhere to instructions contribute directly to making evacuations faster and safer for everyone.

The study also showed that 60% of travelers said they would be less likely to try to pick up their bags if they had already kept essential items such as a passport, money and medicines on their bodies or in their pockets before take-off and landing.

The “Save a Life, Not a Bag” campaign calls on travelers to adhere to five basic rules when an emergency occurs:

· Pay full attention to the cabin crew’s instructions.

· Leave all bags and personal belongings behind.

· Refrain from photography or video recording.

· Keep moving and do not stop.

· Leave the plane as soon as possible.

The International Air Transport Association confirms that the risks are not limited to the person carrying his bag, but rather extend to all passengers, as just one person stopping to retrieve his luggage may lead to delaying evacuation, hindering the movement of others, and endangering lives during the most sensitive minutes and seconds in any air accident.