The Most Efficient Way to Evacuate a Plane, According to Science

A simulation study of Airbus A320 evacuations found that passenger age mix affects how quickly a plane can be evacuated in a double-engine fire scenario.

Evacuations were fastest when fewer elderly passengers were on board and they were evenly distributed near exits.

The findings suggest current FAA evacuation standards, built around idealized tests, may need updating to reflect real cabin demographics.

Researchers say this matters as aging populations make older and less mobile passengers more common in emergency evacuations.