BA 777 on fire at LAS

[Denali]

People seem to be somewhat selective about this... on the one hand there is concern about someone grabbing a purse... but on the other hand no one really seems to care about the tripping hazard of 400+ headsets which some airlines allow their passengers to wear gate-to-gate... and would possibly end up in the aisle......

Dang, I forgot about my headset and they are Bose so if they are already on my head, does that mean I leave them on?

A few months ago there was a snow slide landing and the FA was shouting leave your luggage behind which was ignored, its on youtube somewhere. Again, I wouldn't be grabbing my roller bag or laptop, that can burn for all I care.

 

[under the radar]

Please, not every woman is a princess but yes, if my bag was on my lap or by my feet, I would grab it and as to whats it in, all my ID, mulitple passports and usually quite a few thousand dollars.

Sadly I don't trust the average airport employee to return a big wad of cash, especially in the US.

At least Im being honest in admitting I would most probably grab my handbag, hopefully I will never be in the situation to find out.

So you clearly don't listen to the safety demo, and you clearly choose to ignore cabin crew instructions... It's not up for discussion.. end of story!!

 

[casanovawa]

People seem to be somewhat selective about this... on the one hand there is concern about someone grabbing a purse... but on the other hand no one really seems to care about the tripping hazard of 400+ headsets which some airlines allow their passengers to wear gate-to-gate... and would possibly end up in the aisle.

It is not ideal for someone to take hand luggage with them. But the issue is why do they do so? And which messages need to be strengthened (and how?) in the safety briefing? Maybe some passengers are becoming complacent after seeing several evacuations, with pax carrying hand luggage, but without any adverse consequences.

Yes it can all get a bit silly, from one end of the spectrum to the other...

Common sense should be the aim of the game...

Yes people sometimes react funnily in emergency situations, if they end up taking something and it causes no real issues such as a handbag so be it...

You can give all the safety briefings you want but in the real thing people will no doubt some people will react in all different and potentially odd ways...

I'm sure I and others and cabin crew will have little hestiation in removing someone, or their belongings, out of the way if they are causing a major danger, there won't be any beg your pardons in those situations...

Else if you desperately want to take something big stand off to the side and be amongst the last ones down...

 

[casanovawa]

But just in case it isn't clear....

Remember LEAVE EVERYTHING!?!?!?!

 

[knasty]

Is the decision to open or not open each door up to the crew member seated there individually, or is there some guidance and or coordination from the coughpit or senior cabin crew?

 

[jb747]

Is the decision to open or not open each door up to the crew member seated there individually, or is there some guidance and or coordination from the coughpit or senior cabin crew?

Rules about evacuations differ around the world. For most it's an on/off switch, you're evacuating or you aren't. In that case, once an evacuation is announced it's up to the cabin crew at each door to decide whether to open an individual door or not. In the training they'll regularly be given some reason not to, in which case they'll declare the exit to be blocked and direct passengers to other doors. They'll remain at the door to ensure that it isn't opened by a passenger.

Some airlines use a lower level 'precautionary disembarkation'. In that case specific doors will be nominated and used.

 

[moa999]

Or the pax on some planes. Certainly the exit row speel that QF/VA give includes checking for fire, obstacles before deciding to open the door

 

[ReLoad]

Here are the points I've taken away from this:
1. Thank god everyone is ok.
2. The people that get changed into PJs or take off their shoes before take off are nuts!
3. The time to get people off, even with a half full flight is significant.
4. The fire crew nailed it, I hope all crews around the world can work similarly well
5. People will do whatever they want in a crisis/emergency. I know I'd leave my stuff behind, but others who the hell knows
6. I've only been in one aborted take off and it was mental, and that was only a 737. A 777 full abort would have been harrowing.

 

[Denali]

Or the pax on some planes. Certainly the exit row speel that QF/VA give includes checking for fire, obstacles before deciding to open the door

That's what I was thinking as the safety card tells you to look out the window and in the event of fire/smoke, don't open. Plus you have to agree to be able to lift 20 something kilos/the door so I assumed that some pax might open the door either by instruction or because they made the call to do it.

 

[juddles]

People seem to be somewhat selective about this... on the one hand there is concern about someone grabbing a purse... but on the other hand no one really seems to care about the tripping hazard of 400+ headsets which some airlines allow their passengers to wear gate-to-gate... and would possibly end up in the aisle.

It is not ideal for someone to take hand luggage with them. But the issue is why do they do so? And which messages need to be strengthened (and how?) in the safety briefing? Maybe some passengers are becoming complacent after seeing several evacuations, with pax carrying hand luggage, but without any adverse consequences.

It is my unfortunate experience that in an emergency people react in very different ways. Herd mentality helps to get everyone moving towards an exit. But some people will do everything in their power to take their handbag. Not saying it is right, but it is a reality. And no education, nor safety briefs, will change that.

 

[juddles]

Side note, and slightly off-topic - did an internal flight in Colombia a few days ago - only 30 minutes. The pilot was spectacular - great info to pax throughout flight. There was a bit of unusual turbulence - which made many pax scared. We got through it (it wasn't really that bad) and upon landing, late on a Saturday night, with half the pax still tense, the pilot got on the intercom and delivered a very nice speech - translated he basically said "Passengers, you have just spent the safest part of your day with us. Please take care heading home from the airport."

 

[Boca68]

Even more interesting. The audio. Nigel is very cool.

https://clyp.it/jrvdzhrw

Nigel is super cool. Impressed. Not sure I would be so

 

[opusman]

If I am ever in that situation and someone stops in front of me to grab their <whatever> I will be trampling right through them I'm sorry.

 

[por930]

Rules about evacuations differ around the world. For most it's an on/off switch, you're evacuating or you aren't. In that case, once an evacuation is announced it's up to the cabin crew at each door to decide whether to open an individual door or not. In the training they'll regularly be given some reason not to, in which case they'll declare the exit to be blocked and direct passengers to other doors. They'll remain at the door to ensure that it isn't opened by a passenger.

Some airlines use a lower level 'precautionary disembarkation'. In that case specific doors will be nominated and used.

Considering the fire on the left hand side, the need for the fire guys to work unhindered, and reduce smoke in the cabin, I would have thought only the right side exits be opened, even though this may have reduced the emergency exit. The videos show pax using the left rear slide.

As for the pax you see carrying carry on luggage...If I had have been pax near the slide exit, I would not be too impressed with baggage taking my place.

 

[jb747]

Considering the fire on the left hand side, the need for the fire guys to work unhindered, and reduce smoke in the cabin, I would have thought only the right side exits be opened, even though this may have reduced the emergency exit. The videos show pax using the left rear slide.

As for the pax you see carrying carry on luggage...If I had have been pax near the slide exit, I would not be too impressed with baggage taking my place.

The aim is to get the passengers off as soon as possible. The front and rear right hand doors were not directly affected, and were, correctly used. There's still plenty of room for the firefighters....

Pulling luggage out of a locker definitely slows things down. Going down a slide with it is likely to cause injury too. Cabin crew will not be polite when they see you with it...they will do anything to hurry up the evacuation, and the outcome for your luggage doesn't rate.

 

[robd]

Whoa, that's really on fire - scary :shock:

 

[Walter_Plinge]

The Telegraph (UK) reports:

The aircraft had been taxiing along the runway at McCarran Airport when the engine burst into flames. According to one passenger, the Boeing 777, came to a juddering halt and the pilot told those on board that the plane had suffered a catastrophic engine failure.

...

Jacob Steinberg, a Guardian journalist who was on the plane, said he was asleep as the plane was making its way along the runway before stopping abruptly.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...jet-after-it-burst-into-flames-on-tarmac.html

 

[Buzzard]

Thank heavens everybody is OK, it could have been worse.

Gee, it's been an "interesting" year or so for aviation.

 

[k_sheep]

Even more interesting. The audio. Nigel is very cool.

https://clyp.it/jrvdzhrw

Incredible professionalism shown by all there.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

This twitter link (wait for a couple of seconds for the video to load) - a lot of passengers (at least on this side of the aircraft) took their bags with them: https://twitter.com/DomworthNo1/status/641401647059472385