US: NTSB asks FAA to look at carry-on bags during emergencies

A number of passengers aboard an American Airlines flight that caught fire at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport in 2016 refused to leave behind their carry-on bags in one of four incidents in the past several years in which an evacuation was hampered by travellers grabbing carry-on luggage, according to the NTSB. The NTSB recently completed its investigation into the October 2016 fire aboard the jetliner, blaming it on an engine problem — microscopic "fatigue" cracks in a turbine disk caused it to break apart at incredible velocity, piercing a fuel line and tank and igniting one side of the aircraft, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. The NTSB is asking the FAA to look into the luggage issue and whether anything can be done to discourage passengers from trying to grab carry-on bags during emergencies. Robert Sumwalt, chairman of the NTSB, said that it's worth exploring whether passengers who refuse to leave behind their bags should be fined. He said that's up to the FAA to decide. The NTSB is asking the FAA to conduct research to "measure and evaluate the effects of carry-on baggage on passenger deplaning times and safety during an emergency evacuation." It's also recommending that the FAA "identify effective countermeasures to reduce any determined risks, and implement the countermeasures."<br/>