A new study revealed four in 10 passengers would not leave their baggage behind in the event of an emergency evacuation.
A concerning trend of passengers retrieving baggage instead of evacuating aircraft in an emergency is concerning the aviation industry. A new campaign from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), entitled “Save a Life, Not a Bag,” is attempting to better educate the traveling public to leave all baggage behind, and move quickly to the nearest usable exit.
“The approach of the industry at first will be let’s see if we can educate and see if that changes behavior,” IATA’s senior vice-president of operations, safety and security Nick Careen said at the organization’s annual meeting in Rio de Janeiro on June 8, per U.K. newspaper The Times. “If we don’t see the type of behavior changes that we’re expecting then we’ll have to be a little draconian which could be penalties and could be something as simple as a hard locking mechanism on the overhead bin.”
The study further found that 80% of passengers claim to know what to do in an emergency, but only 61% correctly said they should leave everything behind.
“Even just a passenger or two taking a few extra seconds to gather personal items can endanger lives,” Careen said in a press release. “That’s why it’s essential to build good habits for all travelers, like paying attention to safety demonstrations each time and keeping essential items, such as passports, money, and medication on person.”
The campaign further advises that using phones to film or photograph events could create dangerous congestion and distract other passengers. Officials also recommend keeping all aisles and exits clear for everyone on board.
The campaign is supported by both the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).