How should emergency lighting and floor path lighting be used during an evacuation?

• A. They illuminate exits and paths to guide passengers to safety, remaining on until evacuation is complete.
• B. They should be turned off once the pilot gives the go-ahead.
• C. They should flash randomly to indicate movement.
• D. They should remain on only near the cockpit.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that emergency lighting and floor path lighting are there to guide people to safety, not to signal a particular phase of the process. They illuminate exits and the routes to them, including floor-level guidance, so passengers and crew can see where to go even if the cabin is dark or smoky. Because evacuations can be chaotic and time-critical, the lighting must remain on for the entire evacuation and until everyone is safely off the aircraft or cleared by the crew.

That’s why this option is best: it ensures continuous visibility of exits and paths, reducing confusion and helping people move quickly and safely to safety. Turning lights off after a go-ahead would leave passengers in the dark while they’re still evacuating, flashing lights would create confusion, and lighting only near the cockpit wouldn’t help passengers in other parts of the cabin.