WorldStage– The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has launched the ‘Save a Life, Not a Bag’ campaign, urging passengers not to take cabin baggage during aircraft evacuations.
IATA Director-General, Mr Willie Walsh, disclosed this in a statement issued at the association’s ongoing 82nd Annual General Meeting in Brazil.
“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.
“Crew instructions are clear and simple: leave everything behind and move quickly. ‘Save a Life, Not a Bag’ is a message passengers must understand and act upon,” he said.
According to Walsh, the campaign is supported by aviation safety regulators, including the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
He said the initiative reinforced passengers’ responsibility to follow crew instructions, leave baggage behind and use the nearest available exit.
He said the campaign responded to increasing cases of travellers collecting baggage or taking photographs during aircraft evacuations.
He said evidence of such behaviour was frequently seen in videos shared online.
EASA Executive Director, Mr Florian Guillermet, said rapid evacuation during emergencies saved lives.
“Aircraft are certified to stringent evacuation standards and crews are trained extensively for emergency situations.
“This ensures every passenger has the best possible chance of survival in an acute situation,” he said.
FAA Administrator, Mr Bryan Bedford, warned that valuable seconds could be lost when passengers retrieve baggage from overhead lockers.
He said carrying bags could cause falls or damage evacuation slides needed by other 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,” Bedford said.
IATA Senior Vice-President for Operations, Safety and Security, Mr Nick Careen, said most passengers knew what to do during an accident.
“There is, however, a significant gap in knowledge among some travellers that could result in disaster.
“Even one or two passengers taking extra seconds to gather personal items can endanger lives,” he said.
He urged travellers to pay attention to safety demonstrations and keep essential items, including passports, money and medication, on their person.
“It is also important that passengers understand the consequences of not listening to crew instructions.
“Save a Life, Not a Bag is meant to be a blunt reminder of what is at stake for everyone in the rare event of an evacuation,” he said.
IATA said passenger research helped quantify the need for the campaign.
As part of its development, the association surveyed recent air travellers in the United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and Singapore.
The research found that although 80 per cent of respondents claimed to know what to do during an evacuation, only 61 per cent understood they should leave belongings behind.
It also revealed that 33 per cent had seen reports of passengers taking baggage during evacuations.
Among those respondents, 22 per cent said they would likely do the same, highlighting the need for greater public awareness.
