Originally Posted by
rsh913
It matters who sits in the exit row as if the Aircraft has to make a rapid descent and emerg landing the person in the exit row should be qualified to do the needful.
Are you seriously proposing that its ok for kids to sit in exit row and in case of an emergency landing when they're freaking out the kids should move out of the exit row and allow some one else to move in so they can do the needful ?
No descent is so rapid unless the aircraft is breaking up in mid-air (in which case the exits are moot). In all other cases, there are emergency landing preps that take place, and more than enough time for people to get back in their seats. This includes people in bathrooms, standing around, sitting at the inflight bars on some airlines, etc.
So while no one is recommending kids to sit in the exit row in general, some airlines relax this constraint during cruise, especially for long flights, as long as kids are back in their non-exit row seats prior to descent.
A lot of posters on this thread are just shooting from the hip. I have been in and around the airline industy for over 15 years, and actually know what I am talking about. I suspect WASBLR also knows what he is talking about.