And at least a little sarcasm. Check out this post from Telstar Logistics, describing a recent test of Airbus evacuation employees. This test was done with Lufthansa employees, without smoke, fire, or other conditions which – assuming an emergency evacuation in the first place, would seem to be within the real of possibility.

How long would it take for everyone to get off the A-380?

In a best-case scenario, with no smoke, no fire, limited structural damage to the aircraft, and no one who sustained any injuries during the landing, it would take a little under 80 seconds to evacuate 853 passengers and 20 crew members from an A380.

…. even under those most ideal of circumstances, there were casualties: one broken leg and 32 friction burns.

It’s clear that the thing to do is just make sure that bad things only happen during ideal conditions.   There’s also a link to a YouTube clip of the evacuation exercise  – and an even more disturbing bit from the Wall Street Journal about a McDonnell Douglas evacuation exercise.

Derivative tip of the hat to  Upgrade: Travel Better. Direct tip of aforementioned chapeau to Telstar Logistics. Link to Telstar post here.