Carry-on bags could be locked away while a plane is in flight in a bid to stop passengers from grabbing them during an emergency landing.Larger aircraft need to be able to be evacuated in under 90 seconds, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), however ‘valuable seconds’ are being lost when passengers ignore air stewards’ instructions. ‘Draconian’ penalties or locked overhead bins may be implemented as a preventative measure to ensure safer – and faster – evacuations.The IATA said it was aware of a ‘growing number of cases’ where fliers have blocked emergency routes and delayed rapid departure by trying to grab their belongings on the way out.Passengers have also been guilty of taking pictures during these emergencies – something officials said may be linked to the advent of social media.As a result, the organisation launched the ‘save a life not a bag’ campaign at their annual meeting to try to help solve the issue by raising awareness on the topic – but more may still need to be done.Nick Careen, its senior vice-president of operations, said they hoped the campaign would educate passengers but warned of more ‘draconian’ measures if the messaging wasn’t enough, per The Times.He reportedly said that ‘penalties’ or ‘something as simple as a hard locking mechanism on the overhead bin’ could be introduced as a stricter measure. Carry-on bags could be locked away while a plane is in flight in a bid to stop passengers from grabbing them during an emergency landing In recent emergency evacuations, like an American Airlines plane that caught on fire at Denver Airport last March, passengers could be seen taking bags out of the aircraft with them Mr Careen believed that the move could be done with the support of airlines but did require their approval.A study commissioned by the IATA found that 40 per cent of passengers did not know they had to leave their belonging behind in an emergency.The survey, which was done by passengers from the UK, the US, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates, also found that 10 per cent would then go on to still take their baggage even if they were instructed not to.In recent emergency evacuations, like an American Airlines plane that caught on fire at Denver Airport last March, passengers could be seen taking bags out of the aircraft with them.Willie Walsh, the director general of IATA and former head of British Airways, reportedly said that these images shock him and urged passengers again to leave everything behind and get out of the aircraft.