Airline passengers must stop taking their carry-on luggage with them during emergency evacuations, according to a new international safety campaign from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which warns that a few seconds of delay can have serious consequences.

According to IATA, there has been an increase in incidents where passengers stop to collect bags or film on their mobile phones while an aircraft is being evacuated. The organisation stresses that travellers should instead follow cabin crew instructions, leave all luggage on board and proceed to the nearest usable emergency exit as quickly as possible.

Opening the overhead bins costs valuable seconds and can delay evacuation for everyone on board. Bags and suitcases also pose a risk of causing passengers to trip or damaging the inflatable evacuation slides used to exit the aircraft.

“Safety is a shared responsibility, and well-informed and attentive passengers contribute to a faster and safer evacuation for everyone on board,” says Bryan Bedford from the US aviation authority FAA in connection with the launch of the campaign.

Source: CNN Travel