FAA Wants Airline Passengers To Get The Message: Leave Bags Behind

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has asked airlines to take a fresh look at how they prepare passengers and crews for emergency evacuations. In a Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO 25003) issued on September 16, the agency drew attention to the persistent problem of passengers trying to evacuate aircraft with their carry-on bags, which increases the risk of injuries or deaths.

The FAA recommended that airlines reevaluate their procedures, crew training, and safety announcements to emphasize that passengers leave all personal items behind during an evacuation. A SAFO is advisory, not a regulatory mandate, but the FAA expects airlines to incorporate its recommendations into their safety programs.

Why The FAA Issued An Alert On Bags And Evacuations

In the SAFO, the FAA states that when passengers don’t comply with the no-baggage evacuation rule, they introduce “elevated injury and fatality risk” due to crowding in the aisles and baggage blocking exits.

Evacuation standards require that all occupants exit the aircraft in approximately 90 seconds. However, the FAA warns that the delays caused by passengers trying to grab their luggage before leaving the aircraft can also increase the evacuation time “beyond survivability thresholds.” The regulator also warns that “any delay caused by retrieval of baggage can significantly affect survival rates in rapidly deteriorating conditions.”

Other risks of passengers evacuating with their bags include “trip, slip, and fall hazards, particularly in high-stress, low-visibility environments,” and “damage to evacuation slides,” which could prevent others from evacuating safely.

The FAA pointed to past incidents of passenger non-compliance with the rule, citing “operational data, post-event analyses, and safety reports,” and identified it as “a recurring safety hazard.”

When Bags Became A Problem During An Evacuation

There have been a series of aircraft evacuations over the years where passengers have put themselves and others at risk by bringing their bags along during an evacuation, including three recent incidents in the U.S.

American Airlines Flight 3023 was evacuated in Denver on July 26, 2025, following an aborted takeoff due to a landing-gear issue. Smoke in the cabin led to a full slide evacuation. News videos and eyewitness accounts show multiple passengers going down the slide with one or more bags, and pulling rolling luggage down the aisle during the evacuation.

American Airlines Flight 2045 in San Francisco on July 12, 2024, was forced to evacuate due to a laptop battery igniting and setting a passenger’s bag on fire. Several videos show crew members ordering passengers to leave their bags and leave as quickly as possible. Many passengers ignored the crew and reached for their luggage in the overhead bins, blocking the aisle.

Southwest Airlines Flight 3316 in Denver on November 15, 2024, a cell-phone battery fire before departure led to an evacuation. Videos show several passengers trying to take carry-ons despite clear crew instructions to evacuate immediately.

The FAA finds this trend proves airlines need stronger messaging on evacuation procedures and crew training to ensure passenger compliance.

Air Busan and Japan Airlines passengers survive deadly fires by leaving bags behind

While, fortunately, none of these incidents in the U.S. led to serious injuries or deaths, they easily could have.

The FAA has also warned of a rise in incidents involving lithium-ion battery thermal runaway fires on aircraft, which pose a serious safety threat due to their intensity and the speed at which they can spread throughout the aircraft.

Just this January, an Air Busan Airbus A321ceo caught fire, likely due to a lithium-ion thermal runaway in a power bank stored in a passenger’s bag in the overhead bin. The fire engulfed the ceiling along the full length of the fuselage before firefighters could put it out. All passengers and crew evacuated safely, suffering only minor injuries—videos of the evacuation show that most passengers followed crew instructions, leaving their luggage behind.

In January 2024, a Japan Airlines Airbus A350 collided with a smaller Coast Guard plane while landing at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. Flames quickly consumed the aircraft, yet all 379 people on board evacuated safely.

Investigators credited the Japan Airlines crew with giving clear instructions that ensured a safe evacuation, and passengers followed crew instructions. This coordination helped keep aisles clear and supported a swift evacuation under hazardous circumstances.

What The FAA’s SAFO Means For Travelers

The FAA said operators should work to identify and mitigate evacuation risks. While SAFO 25003 does not create a new rule, it reflects growing concern among regulators and investigators that the issue of passengers carrying baggage during emergencies continues.

Following the FAA’s advisory, U.S. airlines may begin to adjust their safety demonstrations to put greater emphasis on compliance with this requirement. The FAA also recommends that airlines update their onboard announcements and add signage at the gate to reinforce this message. Airline cabin crews may also get updated training on how to respond more assertively if passengers try to take their bags with them during an evacuation.

The FAA’s recommendations apply to airlines, but they also serve as a reminder to passengers of the importance of swift action and compliance with crew instructions. In an emergency, every second counts and passengers should leave their belongings behind without hesitation.

Failure to comply with airline crew instructions and interference with the crew while carrying out their duties are federal offenses that can incur heavy fines, jail time, or even a lifetime ban from flying.

For travelers, the best advice is straightforward: during an evacuation, leave everything behind. Your life is worth more than your bags. It is good practice to travel with difficult-to-replace items, such as identification, currency, credit cards and medications on your body, rather than in your luggage.