AFA Commends Heroic Aeroflot Flight Attendants on Flight 1492
Flight Attendant Union Says Taking Bags Can Cost Lives
Washington, DC (May 6, 2019) — The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), representing 50,000 Flight Attendants at 20 airlines, mourns the loss of Flight Attendant Maxim Moiseyev who died on the burning Aeroflot 1492 aircraft while trying to save lives. AFA President Sara Nelson released the following statement on the accident:
"Our hearts are with the crew and passengers of Aeroflot 1492. We offer deep condolences for the loved ones of the 41 who died, and especially for the family and friends of our colleague Maxim Moiseyev. We know he died while working desperately to save lives and together with the rest of his crew 37 people survived this horrific incident. He did save lives and he will be remembered as a hero.
"Flight Attendants are aviation's first responders. Flight Attendant Tatyana Kasatkina 'grabbed passengers by the collar' to evacuate people as quickly as possible. The crew were all heroes and our union will honor their action through official recognition. We offer them any support we may give as they grapple with this tragic event. We will also ensure their horrific experience and the lessons from it are never forgotten.
"Reports from people on the plane indicate the evacuation may have been slowed by passengers grabbing their bags. Videos show passengers taking their carry-on bags with them as they exited the plane. As a Flight Attendant, that is devastating to watch. We will never know if more lives could have been saved if the bags were left behind.
"Listen to your Flight Attendant safety briefing. In the event of an emergency, listen to Flight Attendant commands and leave all bags behind. It is a matter of life and death during an evacuation. Never forget Aeroflot 1492. Save your life or the life of a passenger behind you."
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The Association of Flight Attendants is the Flight Attendant union. Focused 100 percent on Flight Attendant issues, AFA has been the leader in advancing the Flight Attendant profession for 73 years. Serving as the voice for Flight Attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill, AFA has transformed the Flight Attendant profession by raising wages, benefits and working conditions. Nearly 50,000 Flight Attendants come together to form AFA, part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afacwa.org.
