Passengers argue with crew during chaotic American Airlines evacuation

On Friday, an American Airlines flight from San Francisco to Miami had to evacuate while still at the gate when a passenger’s laptop caught fire. Passengers exited via both emergency slides and the still-attached jet bridge but did so in a disorderly manner.

Video from inside the cabin shows a flight attendant yelling at passengers not to take their carry-on bags and even arguing with a passenger over whether he needed to go at all. Passengers can be seen remaining seated, overhead bins are open, and some people are still reaching in to grab their bags despite being told not to and instructed to get off the plane.

"Latest video footage shows the tensed moments after a laptop battery caught fire inside the American Airlines flight at SFO," FL360aero tweeted on July 13, 2024. "Flight attendants and the pilot can be heard asking passengers to leave their bags and get off the plane."

This 90-second rule is based on maximizing survival chances and minimizing injuries during an emergency evacuation. However, it does not account for real-world passenger behavior. The rule generally works because there is usually more than 90 seconds available; thus, theoretical standards often align with real-world scenarios.

In this American Airlines evacuation incident, only a few minor injuries were reported. It remains unclear if there was any overlap between injured passengers and those who delayed evacuation by grabbing bags or arguing with crew members.

During an aircraft evacuation, it is crucial for passengers and crew members alike to prioritize getting out of the aircraft quickly without slowing down for personal belongings or taking selfies. While one may escape in time anyway, such delays could jeopardize others behind them.

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