IATA Urges Passengers: Save Lives, Not Luggage, During Evacuations

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has launched a global educational campaign, 'Save a life, not a bag,' to address the dangerous trend of passengers attempting to take their carry-on luggage during emergency evacuations. The organization stresses that even a few seconds of delay caused by retrieving bags can jeopardize the lives of everyone on board.

IATA's campaign, supported by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), delivers a simple but critical message: listen to the crew, leave all baggage behind, and proceed immediately to the nearest exit. IATA Director General Willie Walsh emphasized that this is not a trivial issue, as even one person struggling with a suitcase can significantly slow down the evacuation process for all passengers.

The initiative was prompted by an increasing number of incidents, often captured on social media, where travelers pause to collect belongings or record emergencies. Experts remind the public that aircraft are certified for rapid evacuation, with procedures designed to clear all passengers within 90 seconds. However, a recent IATA survey in the US, UK, UAE, and Singapore found that while 80% of respondents believed they knew how to act during an evacuation, only 61% correctly identified leaving personal items as essential. Alarmingly, 22% of those who had seen reports of passengers taking luggage admitted they might do the same, and 10% stated they would take their belongings despite prohibitions.

IATA warns that luggage can obstruct aisles, impede passenger movement, damage evacuation slides, and pose risks to rescue personnel. The danger extends beyond the individual, as one person's delay can affect the entire aircraft's evacuation. The association advises travelers to keep essential items like passports, money, and medication easily accessible on their person, not in overhead bins, and to pay close attention to safety instructions before takeoff and landing.