Originally Posted by
Olton Hall
Having actually opened a plug type window exit (737-300/500, 757, 767)during the DO, I'm now more concerned that most of the people sitting in the exit seats don't have the ability to open it and to place it in the proper place. I dislike the exit row only because I'm tired of sitting with the first time flyers who switched there from the very last row.
This happened to me yesterday, but for the first time. I was on an ERJ, I was in 12B and this guy was the last pax to board and even walked by his seat, 12C, then came back, he looked like a novice flyer. When the FA asked if we would assist he had no clue what she was asking him, I finally said I will make sure it gets opened in an emergency. After he finally uttered yes and she left he started reading the decals on the door then finally picked up the exit row instruction card. He looked, well stared, at it for about 5 minutes while we started to push back, he kept looking back at the door while reading the card. He had a ghostly look on his face and finally I asked...."Is this your first flight", he shook his head yes....During landing we had to abort the landing with wheels down because of something with air space or a runway obstruction.