Just after 1 a.m., Swiss flight 147 from Delhi to Zurich began its takeoff roll on runway 28/10. The Airbus A3303-00 was carrying 228 passengers and four infants. As it reached 104 – 105 knots, the takeoff went bad. The left side Rolls Royce Trent 772 engine reportedly gave a loud bang and failed. The crew rejected the takeoff, brought the aircraft to a stop on the runway, and called for emergency services.
Smoke was reported around the left side of the aircraft. The left engine failed. Overheated brakes caused smoke and possible fire. A fire truck sprayed the left main gear, slides were deployed, and passengers evacuated on the runway. Six passengers required medical attention, with two having serious leg fractures from the evacuation.
— Ishan Jain (@JainIshan316) April 25, 2026
Most commentary on the incident focuses on passengers taking their bags with them during the evacuation, filming, and pausing for selfies on and after reaching the bottom of the slides.
That’s a problem because it slows down evacuation, and risks passenger lives. You want everyone off and away from the plane as quickly as possible. At the same time, virtually every suggested response to this fails.
- Locking overhead bins so people don’t slow down to take more belongings likely slows things down more as passengers fight the bins, rather than realizing immediately that they won’t be able to get in and skipping the bins entirely.
- Punishing this passenger behavior isn’t likely to be focal enough that future passengers will know about the consequences, internalize them, and have that top of mind as adrenaline pumps during the evacuation.
The most important thing about safety planning is to model passengers as they actually are, rather than how you want them to be. What are the messages that work during emergency prep?
Kudos to the pilots who addressed the serious failure, rejecting takeoff, stopping the aircraft on the runway, and the full crew for getting everyone off with only the most modest of injuries.
This would’ve never happened if He was allowed to build that big, beautiful ballroom… oh, evacuating an… ‘airplane,’ ah, got it… nevermind. Whoopsie.
So, obviously, rolly carry-on huge no-no. Where are we on purses, murses, satchels, and pet-carriers? Are the service animals allowed to evacuate, or must they stay behind to burn alive?
I would say we need the FBI to investigate, but I think bulgy eyes is about to get poop-canned. Anyway, thank you for your attention to this matter.
199, False flag.
As usual 1990 has to tie everything to Trump. Very low IQ of course. Back to the subject. This is the age of social media and the need to document one’s life. Someone starting doing that in front of me I’d roll right over them and would not look back to see if they were hurt.
This has nothing to do with the US. Time to put down the Hennessy bottle, 1990.
@Larry — Good call. Switching to stimulants. How do you prefer your coffee, tea, pills?
Any person taking a bag with them off a plan needs to be fined $1000 banned from flying for one year
Any person taking a selfie during an evacuation or in the area of needs to be fined $10,000 and banned from flying 2 years for hindering evacuation operations
@Tomri — In the chaos of an actual emergency, such deterrents are ineffective. (Kind of like how the ‘death penalty’ doesn’t deter criminal from doing crimes…)
@Tomri – If my small briefcase containing my laptop, cash, medications, and passport is within easy reach underneath the seat in front of me, it is 100% coming with me in a bear hug down the slide. No flight attendant is stopping me, either. Doing this will not slow the evacuation. There is an enormous distinction between that and digging in the overhead bin for a large rollaboard.
@Mike Hunt — Where do we draw the line? Like, pet carrier under seat in front of you with a live animal (bring, leave?) Obviously, rolly in the overhead is a huge no-no.
People will learn to put their more valuable items in their personal item if the overhead bins are locked during emergencies or takeoffs and landings. The real problem is the blind eye given to theft by airport employees. If personal belongings were kept safe and given back to passengers in a timely manor, more would be compliant in leaving them behind.
Meanwhile, about ballrooms, security could have been tighter but we cannot have nice things due to politics. Maybe start rounding up malcontents even if they have gone to prestigious schools and given awards.
If they did not bring their mobile phones out with them how do you expect them to take their selfies ?
Seriously speaking, people bringing their cabin baggage with them is something that happens all the time. I first noticed this when that Asiana flight at SFO had an accident some years ago. Since than have noticed it happening in all parts of the world. Their should be some universal laws against that. Otherwise people will keep doing this.
Capital punishment for those taking items or selfie if there were fatalities. That would teach the lesson: life for life. Bet the family who lost the member wouldn’t mind that.
@KEVIN — Woah, easy there Hammurabi…
@1990 Don’t mix gas station coffee with gas station boner pills.
How about when there is a rejected takeoff and evacuation the bins block automatically and there is a little placard above each bin that if the flight is evacuating, all bins . Deplaned as soon as possible blocking the aisle during evacuation is subject to a fine. Black cards are cheap lives are not.
@ KEVIN – Nah, how about just capital punishment for YOU for that insane, idiotic comment. Seems more than appropriate.
“Locking overhead bins so people don’t slow down to take more belongings likely slows things down more as passengers fight the bins, rather than realizing immediately that they won’t be able to get in and skipping the bins entirely.”
Actually, no. If you clearly announce that overhead bins are securely locked during takeoff and landing then the selfish jerks won’t bother risking everyone’s lives to get their crap. A reasonable alternative would be a lifetime ban from every airline. If these people really think their possessions are worth more than other people’s lives they need to be on other modes of transport.
@Christian – because clear announcements are followed so well by passengers now?
@Larry — Now you tell me… *facepalm*
@Gary – It’ll make it so the idiots that try it will to told by their neighbors. If they want to linger after they get out of the way they’re welcome to try.
Would comment for the Troll but seems silly to placate someones horrible existence…so I’ll actually comment on the article. If someone is blocking my exit by scrambling through overheads, they are going to be the last on off the plane as I pass them by.
When these things happen, I bet airlines take a long time (weeks, months, or never) to return bags to passengers, given how badly they manage other things. They should start by requiring airlines to provide better support. We all suspect the passengers just get dumped in the terminal.