WWTPD - American Airlines Fire

If you debark in an emergency, leave EVERYTHING behind, no body is going to just let you say "I was in an emergency plane landing so I don't have any id, way to pay for my hotel, and need you to just give me replacement meds because my insurance isn't going to cover them and I don't have a way to pay for them" You aren't going to be able to board a flight on to your destination or a flight home either without id. What are they supposed to do? Theoretically you can sleep on the street but without a mailing address in that city you have no way to recieve replacements. Yeah, I'd grab my purse too.

I haven't heard about this story yet, so I don't know when the fire started and where. I don't know exactly what the configuration of the plane was, or how crowded it was, etc. And I don't know just how fast they needed to get those people off of the plane. I also don't know if any announcements were made about grabbing or not grabbing possessions.

If they had time to evacuate without people needing to literally outrace flames, then my thoughts lean towards the idea that the passengers knew they were landing and had time to get bags ready ahead of time. Especially those whose bags were on their laps (personal bags), or tucked under their seat. In which case the only way having the bags could have possibly slowed them down would have been in actually getting themselves down the aisle.

Now, obviously those stopping to grab overhead bags during the evacuation might be different. BUT, again, evacuating a plane doesn't happen in an instant either. If you're all standing, and you need to wait your turn, and you're standing right by the bin where your bag is, then you're not really taking extra time. However you might be adding more complications in terms of the doors being left open and in the way, etc.

Ultimately I know people often bring the very most essential items in the bags they bring on board. I could imagine trying to jam my medications and money, etc. into pockets, but not everyone thinks the same in an emergency as they do talking about one, so who knows if I would have thought of that on the plane.

Like I said, if the passenger areas were literally in flames and every split second meant someone else was in danger of terrible injury, then it would have been more prudent in most cases for people to leave behind any bags and haul a$$ out of there. But that didn't seem to be the case in what I saw in that video linked here.

If you are not actively running from flames I don't see what the problem is with grabbing your stuff.

I know humans well enough to bet that not everyone was simply grabbing what's under their seat. I can already imagine the assholes blocking the aisle to get their stuff from the overhead bins.

I would definitely grab my backpack and put it on but not worry about the rest.

You can see flames and smoke under the plane, so it was pretty much a get out now situation. 

And I don't see how grabbing your purse, which is at your feet, delays anyone. Now, getting your luggage down from above is a different story, and I see no one in the video with luggage. And I am sure there was a little warning beforehand, and passengers were sitting there preparing to evacuate before the plane came to a stop. So, I would be sitting there, with my purse/backpack in my lap, ready to go. 

It takes awhile to deboard a plane I would imagine even in an emergency so yes I would grab my purse/backpack if possible.

I would grab my bag -- I always have one at my feet. I absolutely would not hold up the line getting off the plane though. If I couldn't grab it without moving out of my seat, I would leave it.

Looks like the flames were a burning tire on the landing gear. Hazardous for sure but not the same level of panic as a fire inside the plane. The smoke of burning  tires is going to get deadly before the flames are a hazard to the passengers. 

Looks like he is holding a preschooler. The person on the slide ahead of him appeared to be a child around the age of 6-8. I am guessing a parent traveling with 2 kids. So the parent is carrying her/his bag and a bag for each child. Two of the bags are smaller and purple/pink.  They may have been told to take their under seat bags since it seems everyone has a bag just no bin sized roller bags. 

If I wasn't in the exit row, I'm sure I had time to grab it.
That said, I keep ky wallet in my pocket on flights just in case of evacuation

I'm a rule follower, so I would only take the phone that I'm sure would be already in my hand.

Same here.  My phone case has a flap on the back with some slots where I keep my license, ins card, credit card and $20.  My husband would have his wallet with everything he needs.


ETA...I saw one guy come down the slide with his roller bag.  

If anything, I'd say that perhaps it would be great for airlines to get out some PSAs suggesting some of the ideas presented in this thread for ways of making sure people have vital medications, passports, etc., while not having to resort to lugging large backpacks or rolling bags out of the plane in an emergency.

No I saw a video from the plane and a flight attendant yelled "leave your bags." People just weren't listening. I totally understand that he was scared, but he could have dropped his child. He should have listened to the flight attendant.