On January 2, 2024, a Coast Guard airplane carrying 6 individuals crashed into a commercial jet with 379 people aboard. Horribly, five people on the Cost Guard plane died. Marvelously, all aboard the commercial airliner survived.
Evacuation and emergency training of the crew proved to be pivotal to the amazing, good news amidst difficult circumstances. Uncertainty about what was going on, fires at some of the doors, and the rapid advance of the flames would portend a tragic outcome for many. Fortunately, the airline industry does prepare for potential disasters. This training paid off for all on the plane.
Interviews with survivors revealed a preventable problem that should be addressed. As people were trying to evacuate the plane, some reached for their baggage in overhead compartments. Fortunately, other sensible people immediately discouraged this activity. Perhaps miraculously, those warned responded by leaving the stuff behind and heading promptly toward the exits.
We all know that retrieving – and placing – luggage in the overhead compartments is a frustratingly time-consuming task. It makes boarding and leaving the airplane a painstaking experience. It contributes to late departures and increases airline operating expenses.
On April 8, 2022, I wrote in this blog about the many disadvantages of having overhead storage of carryon luggage on airplanes. I recommended that life for the traveling public would be so much less stressful – dare I say more enjoyable? – without the encumbrances injected into the experience by the process of loading and retrieving bags from the overhead compartments before and after flights.
In that blog, I detailed the many advantages of removing overhead carryon luggage compartments and eliminating the attendant hassles. This would benefit the customers, the airlines, and the airport. It would reduce concerns because far fewer bags would need to go through the security lines. Wasted time and bitter aggravation at each end of the flight would be markedly reduced. People could store what they were most concerned about below the seats in front of them. People could quickly grab this article during the normal boarding and debarkation adventures.
To compensate, travelers would be allowed two free checked bags. That lessens the “necessity” of taking on more luggage to avoid the cost of checking.
Read the blog for more details.
The airplane fire that began this discussion could have been horrifically tragic. Imagine if more people would have insisted upon retrieving their baggage from the overhead compartments. Let’s face it: that scenario would likely happen a lot during emergency airplane evacuations. Probably more often than even the most optimistic view dictates.
People are not going to listen to reason in emergency situations. Many might think: “I am fast, and I can get my bag without wasting time.” But it is a waste of time when the incendiary destroyer is creeping relentlessly close, licking at your heals. No time to argue. To time or energy to try to convince another what he or she should or should not be doing.
If no bags are stored in non-existent overhead compartments, the problem disappears. No regrets of leaving stuff at critical moments. If the plane is about to go up in flames, there is nothing to save but yourself. This is probably the most imperative reason to abolish these storage areas.
Everyone should write letters to the airlines to rethink the rut of relying on carryon luggage storage for air travel.
Health and Spirit by Dr. Jack Zoldan 