Terrible idea. I may not 'need' it- but that doesn't mean that I don't want it. Refer to all the seat swap horror stories- seats are never assigned on 'need', but instead are first-come, first-served. Just take relief that my petite frame will not block the passage out of the plane in the event of an emergency.

Ahh but can you reach the door handle????:(

old people, no old people in exit rows. require the ability to put a 30 lb carryon (all elites have one) into the overhead. i am close to not being able to accomplish that task, and my wife no longer can get her bag up there.

I know many "old people" who are extremely fit - fitter than many a youngster.
Many of us don't have carry on baggage either. It's practically impossible to gauge "fitness" just by sight (apart from the obvious).
If anyone agrees they are fit etc I don't know that there is much else to do really.

Apart from hope they really are :)

Yep drink in moderation. I usually don't drink alcohol so I think that's a value point. Now with that being said I'm not one of those people who drink huge amounts and am always aware of exit rows around me.

This argues for Mormons only in exit rows.

Given the high quality of all of the Mormons I know, I can live with this.

However, given the low probability that an exit through an over wing exit will occur, I can live with it the way it is.

Just out of curiosity, airlines often have an age requirement for seating in the exit rows. Would I generally be allowed to travel in the exit row with my wife and five year old, or would the age requirement preclude this?

Can't speak to all airlines, of course, but I think US carriers don't allow anyone under the age of 15 in the exit row, nor do they allow an adult/parent of a sub-15 to sit in the exit row while the 'child' is seated elsewhere. (I suppose if you are careful not to acknowledge each other and/or the FAs aren't paying attention, you could get away with it).

The logic: if you (adult) are seated in the exit row and your child(ren) are seated nearby and there's an emergency, your immediate focus will be on your kids, not on your exit row duties.

I'm not sure, but I think the same rules may apply to folks traveling with a pet or 'comfort' animal.

Thanks for the advice on the US airlines. I would assume that Air Canada follows suit -- any AC FTers who can confirm that two parents and an under-15 child would not be permitted to book exit row seats? Thanks again!

A few weeks ago I sat next to an elderly man in the exit row. There was no way he could have been able to assist. He could barely walk.

This old guy, who does regular offshore coldwater survival courses, and has been doing so for 30 years, involving underwater escape from upside-down helicopters through emergency exit windows, is possibly the best person to be sitting in an exit row you could hope for.

However, the airlines have created their own problem by charging more for these seats as if it's only about leg room.

I actually wrote the FAA about this when United first created Economy Plus, suggesting that already having extra money from exit-rowers created an inherent conflict ($ v. safety). They sent a form letter that just said prices were deregulated in 1978 (they misunderstood my letter).