rickCT01

Recently I was waiting in the FC line to board when the GA announced pre-boarding was beginning. An older gentleman approached and presented his boarding pass. The GA pointed out that he was seated in an exit row and shouldn't board now. The passenger asked "why not?" He was told that only able-bodied people are supposed to be in an exit row so they can assist with an emergency, if he wants to pre-board he is basically saying he is not able-bodied. so he had a choice; board early or give up the exit row seat. after a few minutes of arguing he decided to board later.

He seemed healthy enough to sit in the exit row so I assume he was abusing the pre-board priviledge.

any other examples of pre-board/exit row abuse?

Mr. Vker

I know that WN prevents you from sitting in the exit row if you pre-board. I am not sure if this is an FAA rule, but based on your experience, it may be.

masonuc

LOL that's a new one. She should not have let him sit in the exit row. Although in reality I'm pretty sure that if we need the exit row, grandpa will get thrown aside real quick by someone strong enough to help.

SFO777

On the other hand, WestJet invites exit row pax to pre-board with families and those needed extra time. Go figure.

HMPS

In that case the lawyers will have two parties to sue: 1. The strong guy / gal who threw my client off...& 2. The airline that should have exercised its policy and judgement !

eefor jfp

Many airlines forbid placing baggage under the seat in front of you if you are in an exit row. For those that do, it would make sense to have passengers in exit rows pre-board (or at least board in the highest boarding group/groups) since they must place their stuff in the overhead bins.

thomwithanh

But US does allow underneath storage at most exit row seats.

LowlyDLsilver

US FA's are rigid about the "completely underneath the seat in front of you" provision when it comes to exit rows (as they should be). On the 319, 10 A/F (no seat in front) always gets zone 1 - and I've never been lower than zone 2 in any US exit row.

The crunch for bin space is usually around zone 4 or 5, no need to pre-board exit rows - but 9DE and 10 ABC on the 321 need to be zone 1 or there would be people swimming upstream a lot.

tommyleo

Oh yes! Here's mine from June 2010.

glueguy

I gave an A&B to a GA that didn't put up with that and gave a passenger the choice. Funny how they can all keep their exit row seat and choose to not board early......

jerseyfinn

The US policy as explained to me by a FA some time ago is that any bag placed beneath the seat in the exit row must fit completely beneath the seat without sticking out. Otherwise, you use the bin. I myself don't fret about this so-called exit row dilemma, as the FAs can help you place your bag.

As to the early boarding issue the OP describes. Sounds more like the typical "entitlement" attitude we now see from so many folks -- and it does raise the interesting point that one who needs additional time/assistance may not be capable of meeting exit row obligations if they truely are "in need".

The other thing which jumps out to me is that if that pax was an elite sitting in the exit row, they should be very familiar with the boarding process and they would know that their boarding would begin shortly after F paxs without the assistance shennigans. It could have been an infrequent FFer who bought up to the exit row.

I just had a couple of those sitting next to me on a PHX-PHL flight and this ( elderly ) couple were pretty clueless about what to do with their bags -- we were on a 757 where row 24 is on a bulkhead adjoining the lav and they could not figure out that they need to get everything up in the bins. I politely informed them of the rule & they got their stuff into the bin before the boarding hoardes filled the bins.

Barry

rickCT01

a few years back I was in CLT waiting to board. The pre-board announcement was made and an elderly lady approached using a cane along with all 30 of her fellow church group members. now I understand that letting people in the same party board together makes sense because someone can help with the overhead bags etc. BUT 30, ... REALLY!! the GA kept waiting for the end of the line to appear but after the first 10 it was hopeless.

Often1

1. Unless OP heard the exit row pax say that he was pre-boarding because he's handicapped, the two issues have nothing to do with each other. Could have been a pax who was just a gate louse engaging in line jumping, someone who thought that exit rows pre-board (as they do on some carriers) or just confused.

2. It would actually be smart if carriers allowed bulkhead and exit rows to board first. Presuming that it's front boarding, these pax walk through F and find their seats in Y. If it's 2-doors or behind F (as with a 757), those pax turn into Y. Either way, they don't delay or disrupt F boarding. But, getting their stuff into the OH is a priority and often causes delays when they are late boarding.

pbuntrock

I completely disagree. You believe that all of the people you would have boarding first have good intensions? You have not been on a plane with me lately. I routinely see early boarders put there bags in F overhead space, being in row 1 is hard enough without having to fight with Y passengers. I also have seen people walk through and take my blanket and pillow. And in most cases these are not people who don't know better.

DelrayChris

FA enforcement issue. It the FA is not enforcing the carriers' own rules, then report them.