I guess it depends on if a person is immune to the effects of alcohol while sitting in business class, but not in economy?

That explains a lot! You learn something new every day.

I had a flight attendant come back for the preflight questioning of the exit row patrons who asked if I knew how heavy the window exit was. I said 39 pounds (I had already red the placard).

A lot of technically disabled folk I know are going to have that window open and out faster than the alleged able-bodied ones.

As Mitch Hedburg said, if you are flammable and you have legs, you are never blocking the fire exit.

Thats obviously the case because I've been on flights before where they have announced they will no longer be serving alcohol in Y. When I went up to the galley, I had to explain I was in WTP before they'd serve me.

So yes, the upper classes can handle their booze much better

Yup. Different rules in the USA.

I was at an exit row DFW-ORD when an obese passenger came and wedged themselves in the middle seat. Literally �wedged� so that the fixed armrests with tray table inside were pushed out in a �V� shape. I couldn�t sit in my seat.

I went up to the galley and they refused to see the problem. They said the rules require them to ask if the passenger is willing and able to assist, and if they say �yes� there can be no further assessment or questioning of the passenger (discrimination or law suits or something).

As we were going no where because I couldn�t actually sit in my seat, a passenger from first class eventually offered to trade. But not without the passenger next to me rebuking me that I had made them feel uncomfortable and hurt their feelings.

Even when the passenger got to first class their shoulder and top half protruded into the aisle.

Absolutely, and the bar for row 1 should be 6� 6�

*not being at all self serving*

Sorry to resurrect an old thread. But I am interested in views regarding pre-boarders "who need extra time to board", travelling alone, using a stick to walk and sitting in a window seat in an exit row (11F on an A320 in this case). Oddly the gate staff did not bat an eyelid, but personally I'd not want to be in 11D or E.

I agree with you. That sounds problematic to me.

They shouldn't be in the exit row. If the passenger got as far as the gate agent, they should have noticed and changed their seating allocation. Once on the aircraft, if it still hadn't been changed, the cabin crew should have done it.

The traveller has lied when choosing their seat, as you are specifically warned about exit row restrictions and asked to confirm you meet requirements.

You either need more time and you're a pre-board (and therefore unable to sit in an exit row), or you're not. You can't have it both ways.

My wife was sitting in an Emergency Exit Row next to me with a heavy duty support on her wrist because she'd broken her thumb. She got questioned by the cabin crew, but allowed to stay.

I also saw one large chap sitting across the aisle from me in an exit row seat ask for a seat belt extender. He was reseated immediately, no messing about.

To be honest I don�t think she should have been.

When I was part of a group of frequent passengers advising another airline, I once got a chance to participate in some of the crews exercises which notably involve simulations of accidents complete with smoke in the cabin, instable plane and having to operate emergency exits. I still think that most passengers - including most extremely frequent passengers - grossly underestimate how it feels, hw heavy the doors are and how clunky the whole thing can be. With due respect for the crew who took that decision, I think that if they really believe someone could do that when recovering from a broken thumb, they really should be send back to training urgently and probably shouldn�t have qualified in the first place.

Agree totally with you. Unfortunately Mrs Blurt has mobility issues and requires a stick...when we travel together we would never select emergency exit rows.

I wonder if it's because the person with the broken thumb wasn't by the window, and the person who was by the window looked capable of opening the door? Or do all passengers in the row need to be able to open the door?

As I'm typing, I'm now suspecting it is the latter.

I'm not surprised that in America, the rules are more leinent. There will definitely be a lawsuit following a passenger being moved for being "disabled", regardless of what would be common sense

if there is a crash I don�t think anyone should assume the person at the window may not have fainted or died, so personally I�d sure like everyone in the emergency exits to be able to act if and as necessary.