Boards with those needing special assistance and seated in emergency exit row
 

Did you make your concerns know to the FA?

I feel like these are the types of things that should be reported to Transport Canada. Referencing the Advisory Circular below, section 5.2.2 & 5.2.3, it instructs airlines that:

"Air operators should ensure that passengers with a disability do not occupy seats where their presence could impede the evacuation of the aircraft and obstruct access to emergency exits and emergency equipment."

"Passengers who do not meet the emergency exit row criteria stated in Section 4.0 of this AC shall neither be assigned seats nor be seated in an emergency exit row. "

In section 4.0 it states: "Passengers at emergency exits must: ... d. Must have sufficient mobility, strength and dexterity to reach, operate and stow (or otherwise dispose of) the emergency exit;"

https://www.tc.gc.ca/en/services/avi...-014.html#s4-0

I feel like if there was a TC inspector on board, they would issue a violation for this.

Is not our safety the number one priority for Air Canada?

Just asking!

I see this all the time with non English/French travellers as well as those folks who will be challenge to assist in an emergency. I usually sit in or near an emergency row knowing full well that if something was to happen, that I would need to, well think of the many over the needs of the one!

It's easier for FAs to ignore the requirements than it is to reseat someone during or after boarding, particularly if the person may have paid extra for the seat they aren't going to be able to sit in.

And the GA would have known and should have caught it, but GAs get incentives for on-time departure and changing a seat assignment in the middle of boarding doesn't help with that.

I've had the experience related by @HerpaYvr many times. Exit row pax who obviously cannot understand a word of English or French, but FAs ignore it.

A minor bit of trivia for exit row occupants: If you're on a narrow body aircraft that has a row of 3 seats in the overwing exit row, never take the middle. The reason is that if the emergency hatch has to be opened, the person opens the latch, turns the window hatch sideways and throws it out the opening. if you're in the middle, you'll be hit by the hatch as the person turns it to throw it out the opening. Either be the person opening the exit or take the aisle seat.

I had an opportunity to visit the British Airways Flight Training center at LHR and they did a mock evacuation for us, where that window manoeuvre was very clearly demonstrated. Being hit won't apply to every aircraft, but quite a few of them.

I've actually been intercepted by the system from having an exit row seat, at the gate. I can't recall the circumstances, maybe an aircraft swap. But it should not be happening on board. It can be done earlier.

Therein lies the reasons it happens. The GAs do not want to be blamed for the delay, so they punt the problem to the FAs, who are under the same pressure.

This is a common problem in most customer service industries. If a customer has gotten to a point where they really shouldnt be its often a failure of multiple staff upstream who have not intercepted the issue.

I broke my foot in may and flew on 13 flights,
They moved me every single time out of my seat in the emergency exit.
I did not need help boarding the flight or getting any place.
I work full time as a firefighter and have the strength and knowledge to help people. a few times they left the exit empty instead of having me in the row.