Studies have found that passengers often pause to retrieve cabin baggage during an emergency evacuation , despite instructions to the contrary in pre-flight safety briefings . This is not a new phenomenon , as it was observed during the evacuation of a Boeing 737 that caught fire in 1984 . At least one passenger re-entered a Boeing 777 that crashed in 2008 to retrieve personal belongings . Video of the evacuation of a Sukhoi Superjet that caught fire on landing in 2019 clearly shows passengers on the emergency slides with large suitcases , raising questions as to whether this contributed to the loss of life . Remote locking of overhead baggage bins is being considered as a solution to the issue
a Boeing 737 that caught fire in 1984
Pacific Western Airlines Flight 501
Hand luggage