On September 16, 2025, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a statement emphasizing that in order to save lives during an aircraft evacuation, it is mandatory to leave all luggage behind. Some may find this simple, while others may find the rule excessive. However, recent recordings of evacuations show that passengers do not take this type of safety protocol seriously.
The alert (SAFO 25003) requires airlines to reinforce announcements, signage, and training because passengers take suitcases with their personal belongings, which end up blocking aisles, blocking the passage of other crew members, damaging inflatable slides, and slowing down the exit of all passengers.
This is obviously nothing new. However, the FAA has had to issue a statement giving them a dressing down.
Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO 25003)
The latest FAA alert urges operators to review procedures and messages to passengers. The US aviation authority believes that crew members and passengers have stopped fearing fires on planes. In emergency assessments conducted this summer, multiple passengers were seen carrying their suitcases and backpacks with them.
Although it may seem silly (why wouldn’t a person want to take their belongings with them when leaving the plane quickly?), the attitude of prioritizing taking luggage before leaving the plane during a fire hazard shows a problem with passenger priorities. The crux of the matter is this: if getting up to grab your backpack delays you by four seconds, how many minutes longer will it take for the plane to be completely evacuated if absolutely all passengers pick up their personal items?
In order for a large aircraft to be certified and allowed to fly, it must pass various tests. One of them is to evacuate everyone on the plane in less than 90 seconds… using only half of the exits. Although we imagine an evacuation drill in which nothing happens, we have in mind an evacuation in which half of the plane’s exits are damaged by fire, and everything is enveloped in smoke, toxic gases (for example, from an electronic battery catching fire), and fire.
There are extremely demanding regulations and techniques in place to ensure that people on board an aircraft can get out in time without perishing: in recent years, the evacuation requirement has gone from two minutes to just one and a half minutes.
The great enemy: lithium batteries
We have already talked to you about external lithium batteries, as the PSA is being very strict with them. And with good reason: between 2024 and 2025, the FAA recorded 89 incidents of smoke or even fire caused by lithium batteries.
For now, aviation authorities prohibit lithium batteries from being checked in as luggage. Not only must they be carried in the cabin, but they must also be set aside for better inspection at the security checkpoint. The popularity of external lithium batteries, coupled with people’s inherent need to carry their personal belongings with them, makes a fire evacuation more likely and therefore more dangerous.
What to do in case of evacuation on the plane
Rather than telling you what to do in case of evacuation (that’s what flight attendants are for), we prefer to give you some tips to be prepared:
- Listen to the flight attendants. Once you are seated, locate the two exits closest to your seat. In case of emergency, you will know where to go.
- Keep all your essentials with you: carry your ID or passport in a pocket, as well as any medication you take. Don’t put them in your backpack. Do the same with your cell phone.
- If you are ordered to evacuate, get up and leave everything behind (except your children, obviously). Do not open the overhead compartments or try to take your wheeled backpack with you. Your obstruction could kill someone.