FAA tells airlines to retrain passengers to leave bags during evacuations 

The Federal Aviation Administration is telling US airlines to get tougher about a message that’s often ignored during cabin emergencies by ensuring the passengers know they must leave their carry-on bags behind. 

On September 16, 2025, the agency issued a new Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO 25003),  titled “Addressing Risk Associated with Passenger Non-Compliance and Retention of Carry-On Baggage and Personal Items During Emergency Evacuations.” The alert points to repeated instances in which passengers have tried to grab their belongings before escaping, slowing evacuations, creating hazards in crowded aisles, and in some cases damaging inflatable slides.  

In a follow-up statement on September 19, the FAA urged carriers to “re-evaluate their emergency evacuation procedures, flight-crew training, announcements and commands” to drive home the message. The agency said it has documented several evacuations where passengers’ attempts to remove luggage delayed exits and compromised safety equipment. 

The new guidance is not a regulation, but it does carry weight. SAFOs are considered strong recommendations from the FAA’s Flight Standards Service, and the agency expects operators to take them seriously. In this case, the agency cites operational data and safety reports showing that passenger non-compliance is a recurring and potentially deadly problem. Risks include blocked aisles, trip-and-fall hazards, evacuations that take longer than survival conditions allow, and higher injury and fatality rates, the FAA said. 

To reduce those risks, the FAA is calling on airlines to review their training programs and public-address scripts so the instructions are clear, firm, and leave no room for interpretation: passengers are to evacuate without their bags, period. Exit-row briefings are singled out for particular review, with airlines asked to ensure they are effective and consistently delivered. 

The agency is also encouraging airlines to expand passenger education beyond the aircraft cabin. That could mean adding new signage or videos in terminals and boarding areas, incorporating symbols that cross language barriers, and using simple messages that stress group safety — for example, “Help everyone get out safely — leave your bags.” 

On the operational side, carriers are advised to address the issue within their Safety Management Systems, assessing how current procedures stack up against the hazard of non-compliance. That may include adding scenarios to crew training in which passengers reach for carry-ons, checking that written and recorded announcements all use the same language, and ensuring appropriate signage drives home the point. 

What happens next will depend on how carriers act in the coming weeks. Airlines are expected to respond by updating preflight safety demonstrations, revising safety cards, and possibly adopting standardized phrasing.  

The FAA will be looking for updated crew training, new passenger-facing materials, and changes to onboard announcements. The message from regulators is clear: every second counts in an evacuation and leaving bags behind can mean the difference between a safe exit and or an avoidable tragedy. The post FAA tells airlines to retrain passengers to leave bags during evacuations  appeared first on AeroTime.

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