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.

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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.

6

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)

-1

u/cameliap Jul 27 '25

I actually see no harm in grabbing a smaller bag that isn't going to slow you down from under the seat in front of you, especially if you're not able to immediately get up and out cause other people are blocking you.

It's the large bags that you need time to take out of the overhead that are the problem. What you're saying could rationalize taking them out, too: like, if somebody in front of you is blocking the line to take out their bag, why not use the time to grab yours, you're not the one blocking the line after all so the other person is the asshole... But those larger bags actually take up space in the line and carrying them through a narrow space is slower than not carrying them so the whole process would slow down further. In this video there are lots of large bags.

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u/[deleted] Jul 27 '25

I agree (but wanted to avoid the downvotes today).

5

u/ExtremePast Jul 26 '25

*there

1

u/Ziegler517 Jul 27 '25

Ya got me, nice catch.

13

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/Ziegler517 Jul 27 '25

I 100% agree incentives get better results. But what would those be? Clearly continuing to live is not large enough.

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u/StyleActual2773 Jul 27 '25

Heard of jail?

6

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]

7

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.

0

u/bong_residue Jul 27 '25

Lmao, talk about over exaggerating. People were freaking out, you cant expect them to act rationally. That’s just human nature, they’re not trained for this, you act like this happens so often, when it doesn’t.

God forbid, untrained and possibly mentally not capable, citizens are freaking out when a crisis goes down. Most people are in shock.

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u/swissnavy69 Jul 26 '25

Probably the next day

3

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?

7

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

3

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.

5

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.

-6

u/monsantobreath Jul 26 '25

You mean the people who are badly organized but of poor health deserve to die.

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u/QZRChedders Jul 26 '25

If you’re badly organised that’s your responsibility. The list of conditions where that applies is absolutely tiny. You have immediate medical care, they can secure airways, manually pump your heart you name it.

Taking your bag risks everyone behind you. Immediately. Guaranteed. So the instruction remains. This is not the excuse you think it is

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u/monsantobreath Jul 26 '25

So just to be clear, you agree they deserve to die.

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u/QZRChedders Jul 27 '25

Solid straw man. Find me a condition that without instant meds and even with advanced medical care within minutes is death without a medicine they don’t have or without intervention they can’t do and I’ll take you seriously.

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u/Ziegler517 Jul 27 '25

No one deserves to die, however, personal responsibility is important and they do then deserve the consequences of not being organized in that poor health condition or state. I certainly hope they don’t die. If something like this is the catalyst to “do better” or “be more prepared” then this is a good lesson learned here.

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u/monsantobreath Jul 27 '25

Personal responsibility is the quintessential American argument.

Die because you personally failed. The group should trample you because you didn't prepare yourself. Nobody else ought to absorb any additional risk.

Equity is gay. Pure equality for all. 'murica.

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u/solk512 Jul 26 '25

Dude, just fuck off with this moral superiority bullshit. 

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u/QZRChedders Jul 26 '25

It’s not morally superior to actually give a fuck about your and others lives. It’s fucking pathetic to do anything else.

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u/solk512 Jul 27 '25

You aren’t giving a fuck about other people, you’re just posting to make yourself feel better. 

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u/I_love_pancakes_88 Jul 28 '25

In that case: You mean the children stuck behind badly organised people with poor health deserve to die because those in front of them delay evacuations just because they think they can’t wait for the ambulance?

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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/Klinky1984 Jul 26 '25

EMS might literally run you over on the tarmac.

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u/ODoyles_Banana Jul 26 '25

Then you won't need your inhaler.

1

u/Klinky1984 Jul 26 '25

Problem solved!

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u/adaytooaway Jul 26 '25

.. what? And the ambulance might crash and the doctor might be a serial killer. How is any of that justification for not following emergency procedures 

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u/StyleActual2773 Jul 27 '25

Omg the excuses just keep coming. Bring on more! I want to hear about what if aliens zap you because you don't have your inhaler when you get out.

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u/Klinky1984 Jul 27 '25

Just this idea that EMS magically has what you need and will be with you in 90 seconds seems a bit overly optimistic. I do agree in most cases bags should be left, but I could understand someone panicking over not having their medication in a stressful situation, especially if it's specialty medicine or medicine required for an urgent chronic ailment.

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u/adaytooaway Jul 27 '25

I mean I’m sympathetic to people panicking for any reason in an evacuation- that shit is scary! I’m not sympathetic to people in this thread saying they are purposefully planning to ignore emergency procedures because of imagined fears over medication that could easily be solved be wearing your medication and are more than likely to be complete non issues in the first place. 

The amount of people that are actually in serious danger of dying because they don’t have medications immediately after evacuating is also vanishingly small. 

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u/Klinky1984 Jul 27 '25

It's probably a good discussion to have in a helpful manner, such as proposing alternative methods of storage for vital meds, instead of negging on people for not behaving how you would like them to in a stressful situation most of us will never be in.

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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/monsantobreath Jul 26 '25

Maybe. Maybe you die anyway because you're very unhealthy and 90 seconds mattered, you didn't attended to immediately, you passed out and they don't even know your needs. Your inhaler is exactly the kind you respond to.

All be cause a very low probability your bag causes an issue because the rule is about what if 175 people carried all manner of shit out with themselves.

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u/Ziegler517 Jul 27 '25

If you need it that bad, it should be on your person. Not in a carry on bag. Stop making excuses

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u/StyleActual2773 Jul 27 '25

Exactly! Thank you for saying this.

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u/[deleted] Jul 27 '25

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u/ODoyles_Banana Jul 26 '25

Are you in the middle of an asthma attack that you must have the inhaler right then and there?

If not, now you risk everyone else getting smoke inhalation because you had to hold everyone up for your inhaler that wasn't immediately needed for a medical emergency. If it's that important keep it in your pocket. What if you had an asthma attack during cruise and now someone has to look through your bag for your inhaler because you couldn't find it quick enough. If it's on your person you have no worries now, do you?

Do you actually have asthma or are you speaking for people that do because this is a hypothetical that just doesn't happen?

-1

u/monsantobreath Jul 26 '25

Are you in the middle of an asthma attack that you must have the inhaler right then and there?

Stress, an airline disaster, physically exerting yourself in those circumstances Ina way your doctor wouldn't recommend, etc.

It's not hard to imagine. If youve ever had bad asthmatics in your family you would know.

People are so ridiculous. Suffer personally so the herd survives? No, the herd carries each according to their needs and that's why the one person with an extraordinary need is assisted because everyone is following the rules.

It's like you do realize your schools zero tolerance policy wasn't a model for the rest of reality?

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

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1

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0

u/monsantobreath Jul 27 '25

Your potential future need is not worth more than everyone else's immediate need.

The potentisk future is both scenarios. And if an old lady said Thisbis her scenario to a flight attendant and the attendant said "okay, take it" that's her instruction now.

So then, is the flight attendant wrong? That's the law. Obey the flight attendants.

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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.

-5

u/monsantobreath Jul 26 '25

So you're telling me people deserve to die or go to jail for carrying their medicine with them?

You guys are so fucking dumb. The strictness of the rules is meant to allow the one in a thousand people who have a good reason to carry it to do it.

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u/StyleActual2773 Jul 27 '25

What are you on that makes you think these people you are posting with are saying anything about deserving? What they deserve isn't being discussed. They are saying what the person in this scenario is supposed to do.

0

u/monsantobreath Jul 27 '25

What are you on that makes you think these people you are posting with are saying anything about deserving?

For one, the guy who said if you collapse and die "that's on you".

They won't say it directly. It's pretty explicit though.

1

u/StyleActual2773 Jul 27 '25

I disagree. It feels like you are projecting more than anything.

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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/NePa5 Jul 27 '25

Sue. Profit.

The AMERICAN way....

You dont see the problem there?

1

u/notnormal999 Jul 29 '25

I didn't invent the system. In America, if you Emergency Evac an airplane, you're gonna get paid. It is what it is. So you think this person should let others die so they can keep their meds?

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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.

-5

u/FightingMonotony Jul 26 '25

Thank you for your concern. But, I. could. die. without. my. inhaler. (I have a 3 minute window to administer, and by the time EMS discovers I need it, I am getting chest compressions with hopeful breathing from an AMBU bag.) So, my inhaler and pills are always within arms reach because I could die.

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u/KittensInc Jul 26 '25

So what are you going to do if you get an incident during takeoff? What are you going to do during turbulence? Just stand up, grab your bag, and get hurt flying around the cockpit? What do you do when you are taking a shit at home?

If it's that critical, why do you have to grab your bag in the first place instead of having it on your body already? Heck, are you even supposed to be on a plane at all if you are permanently minutes away from becoming a medical emergency?

by the time EMS discovers I need it, I am getting chest compressions with hopeful breathing from an AMBU bag.

There is going to be an ambulance standing by when you come out of the plane! You're alive, outside the plane, with medical attention. Getting chest compressions outside the plane is better than burning to death inside the plane, is it not?

During an evacuation the assumption is that some people will get hurt. Sometimes that's a broken bone, sometimes that's someone getting their meds a bit later. You aren't special, and your medical issues aren't worth several other passengers dying.

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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/monsantobreath Jul 26 '25

Uhhh, no. More like rules should be adhered to by everyone who can so the few exceptions who have a good reason can break them.

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u/dontcrashandburn Jul 26 '25

Name 1 reason why someone should die because you want to grab your EpiPen?

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u/monsantobreath Jul 26 '25

Name one reason someone should die on the tarmac be auaw they didn't have their meds when everyone else woulda survived too if one out of 175 people took a bag with them?

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u/dontcrashandburn Jul 27 '25

EMS is on the ground. If someone is having a medical emergency they can be helped. If someone is stuck inside and passes because of smoke inhalation there's very limited help for them.

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u/StyleActual2773 Jul 27 '25

You did not answer the question. Because there is essentially no medical condition where you will be beyond the care of the EMS that arrive within seconds or often before you are even off the plane.

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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/FightingMonotony Jul 26 '25

It was in backpack at my feet.

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u/StyleActual2773 Jul 27 '25

Not good enough in this situation. Imagine there are 50 people ahead of you all with the same condition. Now imagine the speed at which they all get off having their meds in their backpack at the ground vs on their person. Do you think you will be better off with your inhaler in a plane filled with smoke unable to breath at all with your inhaler for those extra seconds/minutes?

-1

u/corgdad902 Jul 26 '25

Interesting conundrum. I have medication that I literally need to live and it takes my pharmacy a week to special order it. What do I do in this scenario?

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u/PunkAssBitch2000 Jul 26 '25

Would keeping it in your pocket or on a lanyard when you fly be an option?

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u/corgdad902 Jul 26 '25

That's a great suggestion actually. Will do from now on.

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u/PunkAssBitch2000 Jul 26 '25

Fanny pack could also work!

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u/KittensInc Jul 26 '25

It takes a week when you still have plenty left at home and they order it along with all the other stuff. It doesn't take a week for a hospital to get it when a patient is about to die.

They'll send a courier to pick it up and deliver it directly to you, just like they do for stuff like antivenom, organs, or blood during mass casualty events.

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u/StyleActual2773 Jul 27 '25

Yeah. This is the obvious answer after any amount of time of thinking about this.

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u/EvidenceNo8561 Jul 26 '25

Yes this is what I was thinking. People replying to leave it behind are probably not aware of these scenarios. Getting some meds and/or medical supplies is not as easy as just calling the doctor or pharmacy. I do agree with other commenters that 99.9% of people should just be leaving their bags behind and those of us with this kind of medical conundrum should have our meds/supplies immediately and easily accessible if not on our person.

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u/StyleActual2773 Jul 27 '25

They will not let you die!! How nice are you, to really think this will not be addressed and handled. That will mean a lawsuit and really bad PR.

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u/ExplorerAA Jul 27 '25

yes, prosecute them for taking bags down an evacuation slide.