Pax taking hand luggage during evacuations

[stagger]

Recently, it seems that every time a photo or video surfaces of an emergency evacuation in process - it shows a number of pax taking (often numerous and bulky) pieces of hand luggage with them.

e.g. China Airlines evacuation - August 2007.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/21/images/2007082154291301.jpg

e.g. Iran Air evacuation video - 2008 (http://www.luchtvaartnieuws.nl/video/clips/IranAir.asp)

...and most recently the British Airways B777 evacuation at LHR...

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article711639.ece (second photo in the slide show)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=509646&in_page_id=1770 (click on third photo to enlarge)

Now in these cases, this may not have had significant consequences - but in certain circumstances it could - slowing the evacuation or causing injuries.

It's covered in safety briefings - so is there anything else that can be done?

[Contacttower]

The the overhead lockers could have a central locking system which engaged with the seat belt sign...so whenever the sign is on the overhead lockers are locked. Just a thought...

[PA38-Pilot]

The the overhead lockers could have a central locking system which engaged with the seat belt sign...so whenever the sign is on the overhead lockers are locked. Just a thought...

You would end up with people trying to force them open instead of evacuating...

[Contacttower]

You would end up with people trying to force them open instead of evacuating...

Well if they knew they were locked I doubt they would try forcing them open...generally people don't care for their personal possessions that much.

[PA38-Pilot]

I don't know... it would be interesting to see though. I'm not a psychologist, so my opinion could be wrong.

[Blues&twos]

I would imagine the problem with a central locking system would be cost of implementation/maintenance

And can you imagine the fuss the first time the locking system breaks down and the pax can't get their luggage out? Oooohhh.......:uhoh:

[finfly1]

Typically SLF carry items with them which cannot be replaced or which are considered too valuable to risk putting in the hold.

[WHBM]

You have to remember it is difficult to suspend human nature at times of unexpected events. Same as an accident on the motorway has people slowing down on the opposite side. People just do these things, we are not all immaculately-logical automatons. I think that if an evacuation were called about 99.9% of PPRuNers would leave their things behind (because we know what we could be in for) but a notably lesser proportion of SLF as a whole.

[infrequentflyer789]

I think that if an evacuation were called about 99.9% of PPRuNers would leave their things behind (because we know what we could be in for) but a notably lesser proportion of SLF as a whole.

Unfortunately this might get worse now and not just because of photos like the one at the start of the thread. News reports like this one: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7196128.stm will make some SLF think that "what we could be in for" is:

1) nice slide down onto the grass
2) walk to the runway (not far)
3) detained (airside?) for several hours for de-brief
3a) without food
3b) with limited water (only) to drink
3c) limited (supervised) toilet facilities

and finally

4) left to make your own arrangements for getting home / onward travel without money/documents/keys/etc. and assistance limited to a phone number for a counselling service.


Given that, quite a few people are now going to think "I need my keys/travel docs/money/cards/phone & coat before I get out".

I don't know whether BA or BAA messed up on handling the walking survivors in this case, but someone did. BA spokesperson is quoted as blaming "limitations" due to "various regulations", which is ridiculous. I can understand them wanting to keep pax back for a de-brief, but what regulation could stop you giving them a cup of tea ? [this is England after all]. And even if there is something about airside stopping that, there is clearly nothing stopping them helping by the time the pax are on the way out of the airport and asking for help getting home.



I wouldn't bet on the 99.9% of PPRuNers getting out quick either. Judging by the threads on BA38 the PPRuNer procedure would be:

[Look out of window]
"looks like we came down short"
"ooh look, the RAT's out, and the APU door's open"
"must be double engine fail then - and we would've made the runway on one"
"yeah, definitely - I just looked both sides and there's hardly any dirt in either engine, they can't have been running"
"but double engine fail just doesn't happen - unless you run out of juice"
"yeah, the muppet up front must of cut it too fine"
"agreed, that's sorted then - no fuel, no fire, no hurry. This your case ?"

[MightyGem]

There's no way that my wife would leave her handbag behind!

[flufdriver]

This becomes a matter of degree (perception)

Most people will drop everything if they think carrying it will jeopardize their chances of survival.

I did say "some" in some regions, people travel to shop, they will try to salvage their belongings.

[Trabbi]

[Look out of window]
"looks like we came down short"
"ooh look, the RAT's out, and the APU door's open"
"must be double engine fail then - and we would've made the runway on one"
"yeah, definitely - I just looked both sides and there's hardly any dirt in either engine, they can't have been running"
"but double engine fail just doesn't happen - unless you run out of juice"
"yeah, the muppet up front must of cut it too fine"
"agreed, that's sorted then - no fuel, no fire, no hurry. This your case ?"
Infrequentflyer, you made my day :ok:
Please add as the first step:
Camera ON as everything has to be shown later on PPruNe.

Greets,
Trabbi

[PyroTek]

i reckon a ppruner would pull out an abnormal procedures database/checklist

or they would take their laptop bag just so they could tell PPRuNe about it at first chance
'by god i hope this ocean has WiFi!'