Marisa Garcia Flames and dark black smoke emanated from a British Airways 777, operating flight BA2276, at McCarran International Airport prompting a rush evacuation of the aircraft and swift emergency response. The event, documented on social media, highlights a frightening trend by passengers to completely disregard clear safety instructions, even common sense or a natural response of self-preservation, by taking time to bring their luggage along.
The irresponsibility of those passengers cannot be over emphasised. They put themselves and others at risk.
Excellent rant here by @JetSetCD. Exactly on point. PAX valuing possessions more than lives. Nuts. #AviationSafety https://t.co/YLXGp1CKhe
— FlightChic | ✈️???? (@designerjet) September 9, 2015
Sterling work by #BA2276 pilots & crew evacuating aircraft. True professionalism! @bassa_2000 @BALPApilots @itfglobalhttp://t.co/AmsLo8SPWd
— Ruwan Subasinghe (@RuwanSubasinghe) September 9, 2015
Drop yo duty-free. If someone pushing a samsonite down an evac slide holds up line & people die, what then? Ban carry-ons because STUPIDITY?
— Cynthia Drescher (@JetSetCD) September 9, 2015
@designerjet People never think this can happen to them. I have my passport and money/CC in my pockets. All other stuff can go burn!
— Alex Thornton (@Skymasterfunk) September 9, 2015
This fire was severe. But for the quick response by crew to ask for help and by the airport to deploy fire rescue immediately, we could be reviewing the breakdown of a terrible tragedy.
After the fire #BA2276 @LASairport (pic via @SuaveCastro) pic.twitter.com/XN4dO9ZoLh
— starflyergold (@starflyergold) September 9, 2015
Could smell and see smoke but was on other side of plane. One person said fire melted a couple of windows.
— Jacob Steinberg (@JacobSteinberg) September 8, 2015
https://twitter.com/Bradley_Hampton/status/641391068638920704
UPDATE 5:27 PM — @ClarkCountyFD @LASairport received first call at 4:13 PM; flames were spotted at 4:14, and by 4:14 response was underway.
— McCarran Airport (@LASairport) September 9, 2015
During aircraft evacuations, every second counts. Taking even a moment to worry about anything other than getting out alive is madness. Holding up passengers behind you by stopping to collect items from the overhead bin is irresponsible beyond belief.
Escape slides were designed to hold people jumping to safety, not people and their possessions. They can puncture. They can tear. They are no more than specially treated fabric inflated under high pressure to create a firm surface for a limited time.
The reality is that aviation can only do its best to establish procedures, train staff, and develop infrastructure to keep passengers safe. Aviation does so. The rest of the responsibility to survive a tragedy is up to passengers themselves.
Cabin crew trained to forcefully yell scripted commands, usually including words like "leave everything." Pax are consciously disobeying.
— Cynthia Drescher (@JetSetCD) September 9, 2015
@designerjet People never think this can happen to them. I have my passport and money/CC in my pockets. All other stuff can go burn!
— Alex Thornton (@Skymasterfunk) September 9, 2015
In an aircraft cabin crew are in command, responsible for the safety and security of those onboard. Their orders must be obeyed. Failure to do so could result in death for you, your loved ones, and other passengers.
Seriously how many times do we say don't take your bags? Every other evacuation command is "leave everything!" We say that for a reason
— Heather Poole (@Heather_Poole) September 9, 2015
Come this way! Leave everything! Jump! Leave everything! Turn around! Leave everything!
LEAVE EVERYTHING.
— Heather Poole (@Heather_Poole) September 9, 2015
Leave everything!!!!!!! Leave it. EVERYTHING https://t.co/VDaN69i25e
— Heather Poole (@Heather_Poole) September 9, 2015
We can only commend the BA crew and the emergency response team at McCarran Airport for their excellent handling of this situation. Passengers, however, did not all respond well. The images of passengers ambling through the tarmac with, in some cases, two pieces of large luggage prove that common sense does not always prevail.
The only priority should be to respect the clear instructions from crew to leave everything behind and get out alive. Things can be replaced. People cannot.
When flying, fly responsibly.
[…] forced to open that exit row door, crawl through a cabin full of smoke, don their lifejacket, jump off a slide, find themselves standing on an aircraft wing wearing lifejackets waiting for rescue, or sit in a […]