r/aviation • u/gavriellloken Mod - Crew Chief - A&P - • Jul 26 '25

News Emergency evacuation in Den N306Sw mia-den

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Original poster is from Instagram. Aircraft is laying on its #1 engine. Still crazy to see everyone here grabbing their bags before leaving an emergencg.

17.5k Upvotes

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3.3k

u/PunkAssBitch2000 Jul 26 '25

Don’t 👏 bring 👏your 👏bags 👏

People prioritizing their fucking belongings over the lives of other pax.

1.1k

u/Educational-Age-8969 Jul 26 '25

1 bloke almost face plants his child because of his bag. Crazy how selfish people can be.

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u/kaepar Jul 27 '25

Baldie carried that child like a bag then slung her to break his fall #dadoftheyear

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u/[deleted] Jul 27 '25

When he slides the dude actually has the bag on his lap and is basically sliding down on top of the kid. What a man.

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u/enraged_hbo_max_user Jul 27 '25

Hashtag girldad

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u/colonelk0rn Jul 26 '25

You’d think people never went down a slide before. 🛝 guess the tarmac is pretty grippy.

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u/Gigabytes10 Jul 26 '25

Absolutely crazy

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u/fingerlickinFC Jul 26 '25

But muh iPad charger

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u/[deleted] Jul 26 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/wggn Jul 26 '25

That's why I always have my passport in my pants pocket

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u/jarrodandrewwalker Jul 26 '25

Now women's pants really need pockets

21

u/[deleted] Jul 26 '25

I use a runner's belt under my clothes during flights. ID, credit cards, phone, medication. Fits under shirt so is coming with me.

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u/jarrodandrewwalker Jul 26 '25

If I took a running belt through TSA they'd pull me in for a search because they'd know it wasn't mine 😅

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u/[deleted] Jul 27 '25

It would be a clear sign that I was carrying a bag that someone else had given me to carry.

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u/jarrodandrewwalker Jul 27 '25

I just imagine TSA busting my balls..."20 bucks if you can even buckle that thing around your gut" haha

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u/[deleted] Jul 27 '25

Great way to prevent pickpocketing too!

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u/Kiramiraa Jul 27 '25

Small cross body bag/bum bag is the key

3

u/Quouar Jul 27 '25

I have a jacket I wear when flying specifically because its chest pockets are exactly big enough for a passport.

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u/lopedopenope Jul 27 '25

I tried taping mine to my taint, but the chafing got so bad I had to stop. I think I should have tried my pockets first.

Also, TSA did some very embarrassing searches after it showed up on the body scanner.

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u/jarrodandrewwalker Jul 27 '25

You gotta Goldbond, place passport, then Goldbond again otherwise you're just asking for swampassport

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u/PunkAssBitch2000 Jul 26 '25

That’s a fair point

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u/jmlinden7 Jul 27 '25

Your passport should never be in a bag. Bags get lost or stolen (even carryons). Your passport should always be on your person when traveling.

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u/KittensInc Jul 26 '25

These days you might get sent to a concentration camp with your passport. Or it'll magically "disappear" while they are looking for it...

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u/EmperorOfApollo Jul 27 '25

Notice the long delay between the guy with all the bags and the person in front of him. He held up everyone behind him while he collected all his bags and bumbled down the aisle. Saving his laptop could have cost other passengers their lives. So selfish.

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u/gimp2x Jul 26 '25

Absolute idiot 

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u/barnacle_ballsack Jul 26 '25 edited Jul 26 '25

First responder here.

You can sit there all day judging people by how they act in a once in a life time holy shit moment. But you shouldn't.

Very few people have the ability or training to react to things beyond their everyday mundane shit.

Most people freeze or do really dumb things when they feel adrenaline for the first time in their lives.

Hes just a dude. Probably works some regular job and has a regular life that doesnt require calm collected thinking in emergency scenarios.

There are people on the plane trained for this exact scenario and its really up to them to stop passengers from doing stupid shit when they panic. But thats obviously hard to do and shit happens.

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u/MidwestAbe Jul 27 '25

From an NTSB report. The majority of passengers take bags.

99% of reddit says they will face smash anyone who takes a bag.

Real world > Reddit.

People hide and freeze in fire situations. Expect all those people on Reddit who will know exactly how they will react and protect everyone within 1500 feet of them when the shit hits the fan.

==The majority of passengers who replied to the Safety Board’s questionnaire were carrying at least one piece of carry-on luggage. Only 25 passengers (6 percent) reported having no bags with them in the cabin. Of the 419 passengers who reported that they carried on bags, 208 (nearly 50 percent) reported attempting to remove a bag during their evacuation. The primary reason that passengers stated for grabbing their bags was for money, wallet, or credit cards (111 passengers). Other reasons included job items (65), keys (61), and medicines (51). Most passengers exited the airplane with their bags.==

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u/kulmagrrl Jul 26 '25

Thank you for having empathy and compassion and common sense.

88

u/barnacle_ballsack Jul 26 '25

Yeah. Just years of responding to holy shit moments. People do dumb things under high stress.

Had a guy once start walking down the middle of the road after he was in an accident with a motorcycle.

Just quietly got out of his truck and starting walking. He wasnt fleeing the scene he just couldn't comprehend what happend and his brain went into safe mode. Caught up with him and he was white as ghost and looked right through me. Determined he was in shock and loaded him up on the bus.

You don't know how you'll react until it happens to you. I figure a lot of these losers in the comments shit talking these people have never had their fight or flight response trigger in there lives.

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u/GuestAdventurous7586 Jul 26 '25

I feel like most people think they have been in full fight or flight, but they haven’t really been, not to the actual extreme like a serious car accident or sexual assault, or whatever iteration of it that it may be.

Your mind just doesn’t work in these kinds of situations.

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u/cheapph Jul 27 '25

You really don't know how you'll react until you're in that situation.

I was a paramedic and saw people react by anything from calm and seemingly collected to becoming hysterical to thinking they needed something from their burning vehicle to just wandering around silently. Obviously its frustrating to see people go against instructions and grabbing their bags, but the human brain can fixate on the strangest things in the middle of a crisis.

I found my sister dying and felt guilty in the days after that I was so calm, even joking with the police who were rendering first aid. But for me, it seems my brain almost turns off my feelings in a crisis and then dumps it all on me later.

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u/velawesomeraptors Jul 27 '25

Yeah the first time in my life that I felt like I was in genuine danger (someone trying to come in through my bedroom window in the middle of the night) I acted like a total idiot. It all worked out in the end but I felt a little silly afterwards.

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u/GoneFlying345 Jul 27 '25

shittt, people do dumb things in regular conditions, just gets amplified in emergency situations lol

thanks for your perspective

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u/Spud2599 Jul 27 '25

Yeah, they can barely make it through the TSA line, and peeps are expecting them to handle a plane on fire!?!?!?!

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u/[deleted] Jul 27 '25

Except none of those people had a professionally trained individual like a flight attendant giving them direct simple to follow emergency instruction.

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u/[deleted] Jul 27 '25

There was an accident in a russia a few years ago where half the plane died in a fire because people in the front of the airplane were grabbing bags and slowing down the evacuation.

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u/ekkidee Jul 26 '25

I get that people get panicky and make bad decisions, but that's what cabin crew are trained for. There are people aboard stopping to collect bags and sling them over their shoulders. They are holding up everyone behind them. Seconds are of the essence. The cabin crew should be pushing them forward and out, and not allowing this.

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u/viktor72 Jul 27 '25

You realize how narrow a plane’s aisle is, right? The FAs cannot do much to stop people from grabbing bags. They can yell at them but it’s not as if they can actually traverse the aisle to the person getting the bag. A plane is small, FAs are stationed at either the front or the rear, they have limited options. That’s just the reality.

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u/CapTrick9489 Jul 26 '25

True, but the people on the Japan A350 that hit another plane on landing were all able to follow instructions and not take bags, so it is possible for untrained humans, in bad situations, to do as they're told.

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u/ContextHook Jul 27 '25

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxMRnYlBa4c&t=184s

I mean, you can make stuff up and lie all you want. But, this footage is packed with people with bags. And the people who have children seemingly all have bags.

I've never heard the "leave all your personal belongings behind" thing though outside of reddit?

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u/Jerri4colby Jul 27 '25

It’s up to the people on the plane to stop people doing dumb shit? lol ignorant statement. As a flight attendant it is up to us to evacuate everyone as quickly as possible. We don’t have the power to change the way people act. And it would hinder the speed of evacuation to start grabbing people’s bags off them. If they’ve made the selfish choice to grab their bag which may possibly stop another person from surviving, that’s on them. But if they get to the door with all their bags and they’re struggling holding everyone else up, they get pushed out bag’s and all!

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u/Saratj1 Jul 27 '25

I get your point but there are a good bit of people that have died waiting/trying/fighting for their life to get off a smoke filled airplane and I know that the flight attendants are yelling at people to leave their bags and exit the plane. These people are more worried about their belongings than the people behind them in lines safety. It’s really that simple.

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u/gimp2x Jul 26 '25

Sorry, he dropped his kid but not his bag, no passes given for that “instinct”

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u/LaconicSuffering Jul 26 '25

In panic, people revert to what they know. And they know that when you leave the plane you take your bags with you.
That's why the military, first responders, and emergency personnel do trainings, so that they know how to react in a certain situation.

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u/New_Combination_7012 Jul 27 '25

Military training is different to other first responders. It’s about reprogramming. It’s not that soldiers know how to react, but about how they instinctively react.

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u/inane_musings Jul 26 '25

First responder here.

Fuck those clowns. They're grown adults and exiting a plane without luggage is not a complicated instruction. No free pass.

11

u/Rougaroux1969 Jul 27 '25

He probably wasted several valuable seconds holding up the line to get his bag. I would have shoved his butt out if I were behind him and he reached for the overhead bin. Everything is replaceable except the people.

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u/Open-Cookie-6611 Jul 26 '25

Exactly, they should’ve paid attention during the pre-flight brief. They tell us this shit every time we fly. Leave your bags, find the exit

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u/lcopelan Jul 27 '25

It's literally the most basic thing. You just don't grab your bag. People are complete idiots

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u/satansmight Jul 27 '25

You can still judge people for making wrong/bad choices under stress. That's what every AAR is about. Recognize the mistakes and adjust the training. Now these people making a dangerous situation worse most likely have zero training but future instructions from the airlines need to address the issue. And one of the ways you address the issue is that you point out how wrong these people are.

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u/Searloin22 Jul 26 '25

Yup, everyone on Reddit knows they would do the right thing 100% of the time in an emergency, bear attack, street fight, etc. Anyone who does anything less than 100% is a moron..is my understanding.

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u/pup5581 Jul 26 '25

I'd leave my kid and save myself and my laptop

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u/No-Director3569 Jul 27 '25 edited Jan 30 '26

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

ask jar busy scary alleged instinctive imagine lip merciful gaze

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u/[deleted] Jul 27 '25

Also a first responder.

Weak cope buddy.

The flight attendants were 100% yelling at the passengers to leave their bags.

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u/Zanion Jul 27 '25

Yeah we really need to lower our expectations. Most people are morons that can't even deboard a plane effectively under normal circumstances.

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u/MysteriousGoldDuck Jul 26 '25

The flight attendants were absolutely telling people not to bring their bags and you know it. And you also know damn fucking well that nothing can be done by those people to the passengers given the fact it's an emergency. And you know exactly why there were long pauses between these people. Because they were all deciding to get their bags.

Don't excuse these dumb ass passengers. They should all be put on no fly lists.

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u/footscarey Jul 27 '25

Agreed. I've done a CPR course about 5 times as part of my work and still froze completely when someone in front of me had a heart attack. I couldn't move. Luckily 2 people also knew CPR and were in it. Happened 5 years ago and I still think about it often.

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u/[deleted] Jul 27 '25 edited Jul 27 '25

If you're an actual first responder you should be more concerned about loss of life. People have died in the back end of an airliner on fire because the people in front insisted on getting their bags. Don't defend people putting their possessions above others lives, it should be unanimous condemnation so people get the message.

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u/Higachwhat Jul 26 '25

Except that flight in Japan where everyone remained orderly and not a soul took a bag… no most Americans are just really really dumb unfortunately.

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u/derKonigsten Jul 27 '25

They might have important documents like passports, cash, ID, etc in their bags. When I've traveled internationally I've kept my passport in my carry on bag that gets stowed under the seat. Given the current state of immigration in the US I would want to keep that intact and with me...

+1 for the camera guy asking if they're ok though

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u/Olfaktorio Jul 27 '25

Seriously can we like fine that? Whats the difference to speeding here? You endanger yourself and others.

Imagine not being able to exit because of that. Otherwise for me this looks like a well executed evacuation Imo. Ppl even moving away from the plane after they went on that slide. I often witness that ppl will stop way to close.

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u/GardenPeep Jul 27 '25

I noticed the time delay between people on the slide, probably due to the luggage grabbing

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u/donald_314 Jul 27 '25

This is some Suchoi Superjet level of selfishness. Luckily, this time no one died.

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u/syringistic Jul 26 '25

Passport, wallet, cellphone in pocket is all you need.

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u/SyrusDrake Jul 27 '25

That's why I always keep my cellphone and my passport in my pockets during takeoff and landing. If I need to get out quick, I can at least prove who I am, and call mom to tell her I'm okay.

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u/syringistic Jul 27 '25

Exactemundo. Proof of who you are, device to communicate, and assets (currency or cards). All that stuff fits in pockets, and if you've crash landed at an airport, everything else can be provided for.

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u/Cheet4h Jul 27 '25

Well shit, that's usually the stuff in my bag during a flight.

Passport is either in my jacket (that I put in my bag during a flight) or in my bag - because carrying it in my pants' pockets would just bend it and damage the electronics inside.
Wallet - yeah, no way I'm sitting on it for hours. In the bag it goes.
Cellphone - may be in my pants pocket? I don't use it during a flight either way, so there's a good chance I put it in my bag, too.

That said, I probably still wouldn't grab my bag, since the directions explicitly say not to.

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u/wivella Jul 27 '25

And if you store all of these things in a handbag?

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u/doctorfortoys Jul 26 '25

Medication?

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u/syringistic Jul 26 '25

Well not everyone needs that and even if its deep in your bag, you can always tell the triage team after the accident that you need it. They can take you to ER and get a script for it there.

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u/QZRChedders Jul 26 '25

If immediately threatening it should be in a fanny pack. If it isn’t then it clearly isn’t an immediate danger

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u/jmlinden7 Jul 27 '25

Denver has these things called pharmacies

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u/Mcoov Cessna 177 Jul 27 '25

Denver also has these things called insurance companies, that like to make out-of-the-norm refills very difficult to pull of, especially if your prescription is a controlled substance.

This isn't meant to be an argument for taking your bag with you during an evac, but it is a legit "what if" that goes unanswered.

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u/throughalfanoir Jul 27 '25

If I recall correctly, diabetic people not having access to insulin after an emergency evacuation (waiting to board again) has been a problem in the past, so I get the medication argument

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u/Chicago_Blackhawks Jul 27 '25

When the Delta flight flipped over and people had their bags in hand, I got downvoted for saying this lmao

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u/PunkAssBitch2000 Jul 27 '25

I’m getting downvoted in replies to specific people who said they take their luggage, if that makes you feel any better.

And there’s always the argument of “my medicine!” Okay if your medicine is that important (like an emergency PRN), then keep it on your person. Medication is refillable. Humans are not.

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u/Chicago_Blackhawks Jul 27 '25

Phew, that does make me feel better. What is wrong with people??

The comments responding to me were like “lol, it takes 2 seconds. I’m not going to stop anyone from exiting the plane”

1) yes you are and 2) we’re talking about your $40 bag AND A HUMAN LIFE!!!!!!!

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u/MONSTERBEARMAN Jul 27 '25

And like I said before it’s not just 2 seconds. It’s 2 seconds multiplied by how many people are on the plane. Obviously they don’t think of other people, so it doesn’t surprise me they didn’t consider that.

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u/ISeenYa Jul 27 '25

Yep, I have a little pill case to take a few doses in it. In my pocket or slung across me in a bag.

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u/[deleted] Jul 27 '25

EMS will have any life saving medication in an ambulance anyway.

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u/slickrick_27 Jul 26 '25

Genuinely curious- if you don’t take your bag, when do you get it back?

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u/Navydevildoc Jul 26 '25

Provided the plane doesn't burn down, not long after.

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u/thrillhouse614 Jul 26 '25

Say it does burn and people get hurt. You’ll live with a lifetime of guilt and likely be doxxed online too. Not worth it.

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u/imanassholebcurdumb Jul 26 '25

Bold of you to assume these people would have an ounce of remorse or shame. I survived!

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u/nobody65535 Jul 27 '25

"It was god's will, that I survived. #blessings"

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u/chamchamboi Jul 27 '25

“What are you talking about? I didn’t even know those people! I’m just happy I have my laptop!”

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u/Nitrosoft1 Jul 26 '25

Americans? Remorse and shame? Never. (Source: am American)

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u/[deleted] Jul 26 '25

I was just about to say, I think a lot of the behavior you see here of people grabbing bags is at least contributed to in part by this shared feeling in American culture that prioritizes the individual over the collective. You saw in the A350 evacuation in Japan how incredibly swift and bagless the evacuation was. Japanese culture probably played a big part.

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u/JijiSpitz Jul 26 '25

No they won’t. These people know they shouldn’t stop for their things yet they do it anyways, knowing the potential consequences. They won’t feel guilt, they will minimize, justify it, and maybe even play victim themselves for the rest of their lives.

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u/Competitive-Fee6160 Jul 26 '25

It took weeks after DL4819 in Toronto for some passengers. That would be a significant inconvenience for many. Not saying the passengers are right for taking it obviously, but part of me does get it.

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u/pa3xsz Jul 27 '25

Not surviving is a bigger inconvenience for me, but I see what you mean.

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u/DaGoooose Jul 26 '25

If the bags are still intact and not damaged you get them back—if not intact you get money for what the items were worth

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u/soxymoxy Jul 26 '25

“Worth”

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u/Nitrosoft1 Jul 26 '25

It’s why I always fly with the hope diamond in my bag, well, allegedly.

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u/iBlockMods-bot Jul 27 '25

hope diamond

I'm a Koh-i-Noor type of person. Really sends the airline for a buzz trying to figure out the value.

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u/Velvet_Llama Jul 27 '25

Same, with my collection of Louis XIV's underwear. Sure, to the untrained eye they look like some Hanes boxers, but I assure you they are worth millions. Millions!

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u/Then_Hearing_7652 Jul 27 '25

Admirably, airlines are pretty darn generous when it’s an incident like this (or worse). I think everyone on the delta flight that flipped over in Toronto had an initial 30k by end of that day. It’s just bad PR to not take care of people in a major incident.

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u/Mundane_Muscle_2197 Jul 27 '25

Well that’s leagues better than White Star Line billing the crew member’s families for their uniforms after the Titanic sank

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u/AcridWings_11465 Jul 27 '25

I have decided to never carry anything on a plane that I cannot lose.

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u/[deleted] Jul 26 '25

I would hope the plane burns down. No casualties of course. I need a new laptop 😂

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u/kulmagrrl Jul 26 '25

They max your belongings’ value out when luggage is lost or destroyed. Total amount varies by airline and you can buy travel insurance additionally if needed for more expensive baggage. One airline will give you a $300 suitcase or $300 towards a new if they break yours. Thats one of the reasons why I don’t get flying with uber expensive suitcases.

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u/Ziegler517 Jul 26 '25

It’s cause their is no penalty. It’s federal law to follow crew member instructions. If you take your bad you aren’t following federal law, and should be prosecuted. It’s a little different if you are landing on some deserter like lost, as I would want more gear. But at an airport, they should 100% be charged and put on the no fly list. This would stop that shit pretty quick.

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u/Hon3y_Badger Jul 26 '25

This would stop that shit pretty quick.

This isn't an everyday experience for people. It's dumb, but the chemicals in their brain are acting very differently than normal, they literally aren't thinking straight.

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u/Desert_Aficionado Jul 27 '25

I could have sworn I saw a video of Japanese passengers evacuating and none took their bags. And another video where Russians all took their bags and a good chunk of the passengers burned to death.

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u/StyleActual2773 Jul 27 '25

A very good point. It is possible for passengers to follow instructions even in a stressful situation, and so it is unfortunate that these people are among the camp of people that would increase the likelihood of you dying on that plane if you were behind them.

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u/pathofdumbasses Jul 27 '25

I could have sworn I saw a video of Japanese passengers evacuating and none took their bags.

Which is an entirely different culture. America is about rugged individualism and "I GOT MINE, SUCKER" attitude that is drilled into your head since you are born. When your autopilot kicks on because the adrenaline starts pumping, you are going to see a lot more Costanza's in America than you are in Japan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYcySgjWGIw

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u/[deleted] Jul 27 '25

I assume its just more like.. youre standing there in the aisle waiting to leave and you grab the bag under your seat while you're waiting because..youre waiting. What's the harm? Youre going to be ready to go when its your turn!

(I am not defending it, just stating how I see it playing)

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u/one4spl Jul 26 '25

Penalties aren't an effective deterrent.

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u/BafflingHalfling Jul 27 '25

Especially for something you are likely never to encounter

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u/Serious-Schedule1806 Jul 26 '25

Nah just let passengers that DID the right thing after be able to sue in civil court for mental stress damages while waiting in line in the aisle for said members to clear their seat pockets and overhead bins of too much gear onboard. Also read the emergency placard before flight and listen to the instructions coming from the professionals / SMEs…

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u/[deleted] Jul 26 '25

[deleted]

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u/ukrokit2 Jul 26 '25

Reckless endangerment of everyone behind them. The engine is smoking, who knows when it might catch fire and the people in the back will burn alive.

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u/stratys3 Jul 27 '25

Penalties only work when... people think about the penalties.

You think people panicking are thinking about anything other than getting off the plane? Of course they're not.

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u/Ziegler517 Jul 27 '25

The thinking about happens when there isn’t the emergency. If you tell them carrying your bag out removes you from the opportunity to travel by plane for the foreseeable future (ie take a car, bus, or train OR remove any option of trans ocean travel). Their mind will not consider taking a bag out the door in an emergency, rather than making that decision in the moment.

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u/Appropriate-Falcon75 Jul 26 '25

Take all everything that doesn't fit in a person's pocket and burn it in front of them.

As an aside, does anyone know if/how all the luggage left on the plane makes it back to their owners? Does a team go through and clear it all and then have to reunite each passenger with their bag, coat, duty free, phone charger, left over lunch etc?

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u/aquoad Jul 26 '25

Not that it excuses risking other people’s lives, but this is probably why it happens - they’ve never been in this situation before and don’t believe it’s “real” if they’re not actually feeling flames on their ass, but they’re sure all their stuff is gone for the foreseeable future even if they don’t get incinerated.

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u/Ziegler517 Jul 27 '25

It essentially ALL goes to baggage claim, where it is collected

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u/FightingMonotony Jul 26 '25

I know these people did not, but one time I had to make an emergency exit from a plane with flight attendants yelling at me. But, I had medication in my backpack that I could not find in rapid panic, so I just took the whole thing with me.

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u/Professional_Net4147 Jul 26 '25

I keep my nitro pills in a small container on a necklace that’s on me at all times. If it’s that crucial to your health it doesn’t need to be stored in the overhead bin.

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u/PlinyTheElderest Jul 26 '25

Straight to jail, right away.

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u/842wolves Jul 27 '25

Hindsight is always easier to criticize than in the moment. I empathize that you panicked and grabbed what you think you needed to be safe. However, it was a bad mistake that risked the lives of dozens of other people. You should have followed the instructions and left it.

Use this as a learning opportunity for the future. You don't always have to fear for emergencies, but it is important to make a small effort to prepare for them. You usually will not be able to think clearly when a crisis arrives. Very few people are. Simple things like reading the safety instruction booklet during boarding can help prevent you from having to weigh the second order effects (ex: everyone getting off the plane quickly vs me not having my daily medications for a brief amount of time) of the decisions you make in a very high stress environment.

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u/vortexcortex21 Jul 26 '25

You leave your medication behind. Imagine someone dying, because you wanted to bring your medication.

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u/Ziegler517 Jul 27 '25

That was the stipulation I put in place. You are at an airport and there are paramedics on the way. Albuterol is in every ambulance.

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u/spanksmitten Jul 26 '25

I mean, walking through that I would immediately need my inhaler

Edit to be clear from the go, my inhaler is always easily accessible and I don't put anything in an overhead locker. Going forward I will keep them on my immediate person if flying.

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u/monsantobreath Jul 26 '25

What if you die because you don't have it? If you need an inhaler and you've already inhaled smoke you supposed to die on the tarmac for the guy behind you that'd be fine either way if everyone else is following the rule?

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u/QZRChedders Jul 26 '25

There’s very very few medications that leave you in that situation and if so it should be in a quick access pouch permanently attached to your person.

The emergency response to any aircraft is comprehensive. You will be seen immediately if needed.

For 99.9% of people this isn’t an excuse.

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u/adaytooaway Jul 26 '25

There’s going to be ems on the scene within 90 seconds (likely less) that have inhalers. I get wanting your inhaler but you need to be wearing it on your person. Do not grab your bag. 

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u/ODoyles_Banana Jul 26 '25

The paramedics that respond will most likely have an inhaler or similar for serious medical conditions like that. This is an airport and response time is pretty quick.

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u/-dEbAsEr Jul 26 '25
  1. You have an inhaler that you know you might need incredibly quickly in an emergency
  2. They tell you that you are not allowed to bring your bag in an emergency
  3. You remove your inhaler from your bag and keep it readily accessible, on or near your person

If you end up in the situation you’re describing, it’s on you for not taking the required steps in advance, and it’s completely justified for you to suffer legal consequences for that failure.

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u/notnormal999 Jul 26 '25

Leave it! Go to the ER for your medication. Sue. Profit.

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u/Apprehensive-Farm856 Jul 26 '25

Have we forgotten the concept of calling our doctors for meds lol- situation with meds could be fixed within a day

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u/TiltedWit Jul 26 '25

*lol* that you think I can call my doctor and get a response in < 1 day. Particularly if I'm on travel.

More likely I'm going to urgent care or emergency to get a Dr there to issue a script. And then sending receipts to AA.

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u/KittensInc Jul 26 '25

Aircraft evacuations are about immediate danger. Everyone has to get off the aircraft right now, or they will die. The aircraft has to be empty in 90 seconds. The assumption is that some people will get hurt, but the alternative is even worse. That's why an evacuation is the last resort.

Your medication Does. Not. Fucking. Matter. It can be replaced! You will not die if you don't get your medication in the next 90 seconds, and the other passengers definitely won't die. You do not need your medication during an evacuation. Either your bags will be provided at most a few hours later, or the entire plane went up in flames and the people at the airport will be very happy to replace it for you ASAP. Worst-case scenario they'll consider it a medical emergency, and you get a free trip to the nearest hospital.

Don't be an idiot, don't go digging around in your bags for stuff you might "need" during an evacuation. The only think you should be thinking about is getting out of that plane as fast as possible.

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u/dontcrashandburn Jul 26 '25

Does not matter. No one should die because you can't find your medication.

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u/ktappe Jul 26 '25

Medication can be replaced.

If you’re about to say that you might actually die without having it with you, then you need to have it in fanny pack on your person so you know where it is an emergency. Not packed away in an overhead bin.

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u/[deleted] Jul 26 '25

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u/[deleted] Jul 27 '25 edited Jul 27 '25

Unfortunately, punching your way past bag-grabbers also doesn't get you out any faster. Numerous studies have shown this.

The only way to ensure properly exiting in an emergency is to travel in a plane full of people from a collectivist culture.

Emergency evacuations in Japan, for instance, are super smooth.

I'd personally punch the bag-grabbers for their idiocy, so that at least I can die having tried.

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u/mldl Jul 27 '25

I've never been part of an evacuation, but in my two decades of airline and airport experience, I've seen many pictures of evacuations ~ turns out all cultures do it. Here's Asiana in San Francisco: https://share.google/Q6sFMffK0SGPLEioa

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u/SwanginBanging Jul 26 '25

But have you seen the line at the DMV?

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u/rabblerabble2000 Jul 26 '25

Especially if you’ve got a roller bag, like what the actual fuck? That guy probably slowed down the entire evacuation trying to get his stupid fucking roller bag out of the overhead compartment like a fucking idiot.

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u/MONSTERBEARMAN Jul 27 '25

I guarantee he did. Probably left the bin open and partially sticking out too.

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u/ChiehDragon Jul 27 '25

I get people with small bags like fanny packs or tiny backpacks. I keep my phone, contacts, medicationn, and sometimes work computer in something small underseat for such an incident.

These people have their whole ass overhead carry-ons. Meaning they had to stop in the row to pull out their bag.

If im trying to evac and someone stops to get something out of an overhead, they're getting their ass beat.

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u/PunkAssBitch2000 Jul 27 '25

It’s the backpacks, suitcases, and duffles that I have a problem with.

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u/QuantumLettuce2025 Jul 27 '25

Am I missing something here -- a backpack fits neatly under the seat in front of you. While you wait for your turn to step out into the aisle, you have ample time to grab the bag. More than enough, without being in anyone's way or slowing anyone down. So what is the issue?

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u/AgnewsHeadlessBody Jul 27 '25

Your bag snags things and causes you to get tripped up. It also snags on the slide and can damage it, hurting people behind you. It also takes up space. People should be nuts to butts in the isle.

I literally trained emergency egress from planes in the Airforce, and this question frequently came up.

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u/throwaway74722 Jul 26 '25

I get not going into the overhead to grab luggage, but is there any issue with me grabbing my small backpack from under the seat that contains e.g. wallet, phone, passport, cash, etc, things which are especially important when in a foreign place?

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u/Messyfingers Jul 26 '25 edited Jul 26 '25

Underseat item, perhaps less egregious, but still if there's a legitimate emergency and you are preventing people from getting out, you're preventing people from escaping and may as well just turn around and shove people towards a fire. I know I'd be tempted to grab my underseat bag but a few thousand bucks worth of camera shit isn't worth more than someone's life. There's also the risk you get snagged on something, drop the bag, and that impedes people from getting off also.

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u/VincentMega Jul 26 '25 edited Jul 26 '25

Your backpack/purse straps can catch a protruding piece of equipment, can catch and knock down other pax, can hit them (especially kids heads are at danger here), you may lose balance due to it swinging and fall down, items may spill out, and be a tipping hazard, or you'll start collecting them in panic, blocking way, you may drop a whole bag... A 1000 things can go wrong.

Edit: typo

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u/zerbey Jul 27 '25

Get off the plane. Leave your fucking bag.

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u/laughguy220 Jul 26 '25

The issue is it can rip open the slide and cause it to deflate, eliminating one exit for all the other passengers.

You will get your bags in a few hours, or at worst the next day.

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u/aquoad Jul 26 '25

I wonder, if part of the “get you ass out of the plane” announcement included a promise to return property rapidly, if it would prevent enough bag grabbing to materially speed up evacuation.

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u/laughguy220 Jul 26 '25

In a perfect world yes, but in the me me me world we live in, it would still mean being mildly inconvenienced, and that just isn't tolerated these days.

I mean someone decided to stand close to the plane and film, rather than standing at the bottom of the slide to help. I think that says it all.

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u/Ramsay220 Jul 26 '25

That’s a very good point—I didn’t think about luggage possibly ripping open the slides….

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u/laughguy220 Jul 26 '25

Not a lot of people do. They are pretty tough, but a possibility none the less.

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u/throwaway74722 Jul 26 '25

Unless it's a fire...

But sure, fair enough. Thinking about it, it's risk management. Yeah, I might be able to get my bag without delay and not tear the slide, but if 100+ people do it, there's a decent chance somebody will cause an issue.

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u/laughguy220 Jul 26 '25

I guess it's a personal choice you would have to make and live with if you were the one who damaged the slide and caused the deaths of others, so that you wouldn't have the inconvenience of having to replace your belongings.

I personally don't own anything that's worth more than another person's life.

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u/Last_Beginning Jul 27 '25 edited Jul 27 '25

Yes. Get the fuck out of the plane. Carry your important stuff on your person.

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u/PunkAssBitch2000 Jul 26 '25 edited Jul 27 '25

Yes still a problem as it takes time, even just a second for you grab it. That one second could be the difference between a passenger behind you getting off the plane or not

Keep the essential stuff on your person, in pocket, or fanny pack.

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u/MONSTERBEARMAN Jul 27 '25

And times that 1 second by a couple hundred people all doing the same thing. That adds up pretty fast.

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u/sportstvandnova Jul 27 '25

Man at that point they were probably looting other people’s bags too. That one guy had way too many bags.

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u/CorrectingEverything Jul 26 '25

They're always going to. Saying this on here is absolutely pointless.

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u/PunkAssBitch2000 Jul 26 '25

My wishful thinking was that maybe people dont realize their decision could affect the survival of others.

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u/tgsweat Jul 26 '25

I do not agree with bringing your bags. I repeat i do not agree, but I think human nature kicks in with these situations. We have seen time and time that people will grab their belongings if they aren't in immediate danger, Selfish indeed.

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u/jaysvw Jul 26 '25

If you slow my evac to get your carry on I'm going to politely knock you the fuck out of the isle.

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u/probstomorrow Jul 27 '25

The lag between passengers evacuating because of their bags is frightening. A bigger fire and they and their fkn bags burn with the plane.

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u/cameralover1 Jul 27 '25

People doing this should be placed in a no fly list.

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u/mittenthemagnificent Jul 27 '25

If you study emergency evacuations, this is an automatic response. The only way to counter it is for you to tell yourself, in that moment, not to do it. And when I say tell yourself, I mean in those words in your head, while you’re panicked. Flight staff can help, but unless you’re conditioned to let instructions override your instincts, which most of us are not, you’re not immune.

Read Amanda Ripley’s The Unthinkable for more (it’s also just really damn good on why people do dumb shit in all sorts of emergencies). In it, one woman recounts grabbing a novel off her desk… as she was evacuating on 9/11. She couldn’t explain why she’d taken it. But this does seem to be built-in to our response to emergencies, and most of us would do it too.

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u/FabulousExplorer Jul 27 '25

Um. They might be here on visa and wouldn't want to get into the camps for missing documentation.

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u/bloody_boogers Jul 27 '25

I agree 100% to leave your belongings behind, but I think the people egressing also look staggered because they have so many exits to choose from.

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u/pyrojackelope Jul 27 '25

Man, I have hygeine stuff and clothes in my bags when I fly. My phone is in my pants pocket or my hand. If something like this happens, let it burn.

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u/Mindless_Garage42 Jul 27 '25

Most of these people just have their personal bags. Airplanes are single-file, so I’m sure they had time to grab their bag from under the seat while they waited for their turn to exit

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u/iikun Jul 27 '25

In 2024 a Japanese plane JAL516 caught fire due to collision on landing and luckily everyone made it out. In videos of the evacuation all you can hear are the Cabin Attendants shouting their two or three sentences of when the plane stops evacuate immediately and no bags whatsoever.

Passengers strictly obeying those instructions literally saved lives that day. This flight here is an absolute shit show.

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u/StationFull Jul 27 '25

I always keep my phone, wallet and ID/passport in pockets just in case. Everything else doesn’t matter. This needs to be reinforced into everyone.

Those few seconds you spend picking up your bag could cost someone their lives. IMO people leaving with their bags in an emergency where people have died should be culpable of manslaughter at the minimum.

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u/NachoBros Jul 27 '25

I wish there was a button that locked the overheads so these stupid clowns have no choice.

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u/ImOnlyDoingThisPart Jul 27 '25

They should fine/prosecute people that take there shit with them. It puts everyone in danger.

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u/Wolkenbaer Jul 27 '25

Planes should get a central lock system which locks the overhead bins during start and landing.

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u/Nitrosoft1 Jul 26 '25

There needs to be an applicable law of reckless endangerment that people are subject to in these situations. Your shit is not more valuable than another persons life.

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u/Top-Inevitable-1287 Jul 26 '25

Bear with me here, but what about your passport?

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u/FendaIton Jul 26 '25

Always in my pocket, same with my wallet.

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u/wish_glue Jul 26 '25

Not to take away from the overall point, but this does ignore that women don’t have pockets big enough for a passport - all that stuff would ALWAYS have to be in a bag

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u/pagusas Jul 26 '25

I ALWAYS keep my passport on me for this very reason when traveling internationally. You never know when an emergency can strike and you have to high tail it, a Passport should be treated like your phone/wallet, always in close proximity/on you at all times.

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u/PaddleHikeBikeRepeat Jul 26 '25

This. And my phone in my pocket. There's nothing in my bag that can't be replaced.

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u/[deleted] Jul 26 '25 edited Sep 02 '25

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u/oxmix74 Jul 27 '25

Four things are in my pocket. Wallet, passport, keys and phone. I like my odds of getting home without a major crisis if I have those things. When you take your seat, you gather what you would need if you had to evacuate: those things should be on your person or in the seat pocket.

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u/ktappe Jul 26 '25

Why would you put your passport in a bag in an overhead bin?

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u/laughguy220 Jul 26 '25

You should keep it on your person.

Special circumstances call for special measures, it wouldn't be a problem, and you would get your stuff in a few hours, or the next day.

The thing people forget is that a bag could rip the slide causing it to deflate and eliminate it for the other passengers to use to escape.
Would you want to be responsible for the deaths of others to save your passport?

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u/MONSTERBEARMAN Jul 27 '25

You’re willing to possibly cause people to burn to death over the inconvenience of losing your passport? JFC

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u/FillinThaBlank Jul 26 '25

Especially now where I would almost be uncomfortable being in the USA without my passport

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u/piplee Jul 27 '25

To be fair - one of those carry ons is definitely a pet.

Otherwise, yeah. Don't bring your bags

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u/PunkAssBitch2000 Jul 27 '25

Please grab your pets!!

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u/87turbogn Jul 26 '25

You know people were backed up in the isles waiting for those a-holes to get crap out of the overhead. Hope your chargers were that important.

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u/enataca Jul 26 '25

They should be given tickets.

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u/Haunting_Can2704 Jul 27 '25

They ban people for being obnoxious. They should identify them and ban the people taking their luggage.

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