Overview

• SAFO 25003, published September 16, urges airlines to address passengers retrieving carry-ons or stopping to film during evacuations.
• The FAA cites recurring hazards including blocked aisles and exits, damaged slides, and trip risks that can reduce survivability in smoke or fire.
• Operators are asked to update safety briefings with concise, no-exceptions language, strengthen crew training for assertive commands, and add visual and multilingual materials.
• Airlines are encouraged to use Safety Management Systems to track the issue and to deploy signage and communications that normalize leaving belongings behind.
• Past and recent evacuations, from BA 2276 (2015) and Aeroflot SU1492 (2019) to a 2023 Southwest flight and a July 2025 American Airlines evacuation, illustrate delays linked to baggage retrieval even as regulations target 90-second egress.