FLY SMARTER
Urgent warning over rule that could save your life in a plane emergency – don’t forget it
Includes more safety tricks
FLYING experts have issued an urgent warning over a rule that could save your life in the event of an emergency.
The crucial tip was shared by The International Air Transport Association (IATA) after it noticed something alarming.
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Aviation leaders are reminding passengers that they must leave their luggage when fleeing a plane during an emergency.
It comes after dozens of fatalities in Russia were blamed on people trying to collect their laptops and other baggage during an evacuation.
The IATA said the issue was becoming too concerning to ignore, reported
Nick Careen — head of safety and security for the organization, which represents 330 airlines — said video footage had shown passengers clutching their belongings while on escape chutes.
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He said: "We need to educate the customer on why the regulations are there."
Airlines have to run test evacuations to ensure a plane can be emptied within 90 seconds.
These assume flyers’ main goal is getting to safety as soon as possible.
But in reality, passengers often try to fetch items from overhead lockers which can block exits and put everyone in danger.
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This is what happened in Russia in 2019 when 41 people were killed in a plane crash that was reportedly worsened by flyers grabbing their carry-ons before fleeing.
Nick said: “Fines never work, unfortunately. Despite the fact that this is a global standard and a requirement on every flight, the propensity is that it is still a challenge.”
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There have been evacuations that did go to plan, for example when all 379 people abandoned their hand luggage to escape down emergency slides after a Japan Airlines jet burst into flames after colliding with a smaller aircraft at Tokyo Haneda airport in January.
But David Soucie, a former Federal Aviation Administration official, told CNN: “I think if that happened in the United States, it would have been a very different scenario because of our attachment to our carry-on bags, our laptops, our phones, our things that we want to take with us.”
Five-second safety trick
PILOTS have revealed the five-second safety rule all passengers boarding a flight should know.
Golden Rule Travel agent Hans Mast urged passengers to always have a look around the plane and identify the nearest exist.
Mr Mast told : "As soon as I board a plane, I always take note of the nearest emergency exit, counting the number of seat rows between my location and that exit.
"In the event of an emergency, visibility could be impaired, and having this mental map can be life-saving,"
The five-second tip could put you ahead of the crew in case of an sudden evacuation.
Former pilot Nick Eades added: "Awareness of your safety on an aircraft starts the moment you enter the aircraft, not once the cabin crew starts the safety briefing.
"The pilots may press the evacuation alarm even before the engines are started.
"As the captain of a 747, I had to complete a rapid evacuation of the passengers when an air conditioning truck attached to the aircraft caught fire."
Having an exit plan ready can give you more time to react.
The flying pro explained: "Out of 400 passengers, only a handful reacted quickly enough. Had the fire taken hold, the outcome could have been catastrophic."
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