Overview
- Researchers at the University of Greenwich’s Fire Safety Engineering Group modeled 4,000 evacuations on a 185‑person single‑aisle jet with only half the exits available.
- In the baseline with no one taking bags, the average evacuation time was 121 seconds, with 146 of 185 people off the aircraft at the 90‑second mark.
- When 25%, 50%, and 75% of passengers retrieved bags, average evacuation times rose to 137, 169, and 200 seconds respectively, with peaks up to 272 seconds and 42, 53, and 64 people still onboard at 90 seconds.
- Extracting a trolley from an overhead bin took a mean 5.3 seconds and sometimes more than 15 seconds, creating compounding delays that especially disadvantage passengers seated in the rear.
- The report urges realistic public‑awareness campaigns, updated safety briefings, potential limits or penalties on overhead‑bin access, and certification tests that reflect actual passenger behavior, with no regulatory changes announced.