FA's standing in exit row during boarding
 

I'm curious as to why it is, or seems like there is always a FA standing in one of the exit rows, at the beginning of boarding?

Or is it my imagination?

And while I am asking annoying questions that I could not find the answer to after a quick search. Is there anyway to know how full a flight will be before I arrive at the airport?

TIA

They stand there to make sure no kids are seated in one of those rows; ditto those that are obviously unable to help in an emergency, etc.

It has more room to stand comfortably. If they stood in the aisle they would be in the way. Plus what smmrfld said.

They are not blocking the seats and will move if you meet the qualifications.

Yep, they'll move if you ask. I do it all the time!

As for knowing how many people are on the plane, the only way I know is to sneak a peak at the computer monitor the gate agent has. When he scans your boarding pass, look at the computer screen. There'll be a set of numbers, and the top left number is the number of boarding passes issued, and I think the next number is the number of "through" passengers. Add that up, and you'll know how many people are on the plane.

WN considers load factors to be proprietary information ( as do all airlines ). You are not going to find out that number before boarding.

Oops, my reading comprehension is not so good. Yeah, you're not gonna find out the load before you get to the airport.

And this works quite nicely for the frequent WN flyer with a low A as non-in-the-know passengers boarding early are not sure why they are there and just keep moving back...

I just thank them for saving my seat.

Some people won't ask them to move so for those that ask you get the benefit of the FA's sort of blocking that other seat once you slide in past them.



/almost never sits in exit row.

On flights that we know have 10 or so empty seats, spouse and I will take aisle and window of exit row. We never put any personal stuff on that middle seat. Every time, the FA stands in front of that seat during boarding, effectively holding it open, unintentionally, for us. ;) I don't know why people don't just ask the FA if they can sit there.

On a side note, last week, out of PHX, the FA had put down all the window shades in the bulkhead row, to minimize the hot sun coming in.

No one sat in that entire row, throughout A boarding, and half of B group, and no one even asked the FA up front if the row was held or what?!

I'm assuming that "FA standing in exit row" is part of WN's boarding procedures as filed with and approved by the FAA. It is NOT an FAA requirement -- as you may have noticed other airlines do not have an FA at the exit row during boarding.

Plus, the whole exit row qualification is a "newish" rule -- from the 80's or 90's. Ironically, they didn't care back in the 70's when airline accidents were much more common.

Twenty to thirty years ago is "newish"??? :confused:

Guess it depends how old you are. That sounds newish to me.

Yep! They often will joke that they are blocking the center seat for those of us already sitting at the window or aisle.

How is your boarding number determined for Southwest? Is this based on your status w/ the rapids reward program or strictly check-in time?