FAA: Passengers evacuating with carry-on items, putting lives at risk

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is urging airlines to remind passengers to leave behind carry-on items if they are forced to evacuate in the case of an emergency. 

The agency said any delay caused by retrieval of baggage can significantly affect survival rates in rapidly deteriorating conditions. 

Airlines should re-evaluate their emergency evacuation procedures, flight-crew training, announcements and commands to ensure passengers understand they must leave carry-on items behind during an emergency evacuation, the Federal Aviation Administration recommends in a Safety Alert for Operators. 

The directive published on Friday stated that "passenger retrieval of carry-on items during emergency evacuations introduces numerous risks and hazards, including but not limited to: elevated injury and fatality risk, due to passenger crowding in aisles and exits blocked by baggage, delays to egress, increasing total evacuation time beyond survivability thresholds, trip, slip, and fall hazards, particularly in high-stress, low-visibility environments and damage to evacuation slides."

In July, passengers were forced to evacuate an American Airlines flight parked on a tarmac in Denver using emergency slides due to a “maintenance issue.” 

The group onboard could be seen swiftly departing as children and adults exited via the emergency slide as smoke rose into the air from the plane.

The FAA is currently investigating the issue but advised flight attendants and airline staff to adhere to safer practices when departing the aircraft and encourage passengers to do the same.

Recent near misses at airports across the country and a January mid-air collision have left travelers and officials anxious about safety practices while pilots are in the air and on the ground.