Airlines may introduce new in flight rules for overhead lockers

Airlines may introduce new in-flight rules for overhead lockers to speed evacuations and prevent passengers from retrieving luggage during emergencies, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) warned. IATA said so-called “draconian” measures, including locking overhead bins, may be necessary if passenger behavior does not change, because collecting bags during evacuation can delay exit procedures and raise safety risks. IATA noted aircraft must be capable of being evacuated within 90 seconds and launched the campaign “Save A Life, Not A Bag” urging travelers to leave belongings behind. Supported by safety bodies including EASA and the FAA, the campaign follows rising incidents where passengers attempted to retrieve bags or even took photos during emergencies. A passenger survey across the UK, US, UAE and Singapore found 80% believed they knew what to do, but only 61% identified the correct instruction to leave personal items behind. IATA said the message aims for passengers to follow crew directions to move quickly to the nearest usable exit.