Exit row seats and non-able bodied
 

Recently got transatlantic BA flight.

3 seats at front by exit door with just one by the window taken. In row behind was an old lady who had been brought to the door in a wheelchair.

So everyone sits down, she asks the FA is she could swap. FA agrees. So old lady says good, because its easier for my leg.

I always thought you had to be physically able to sit in an exit row? In the past, I've seen FAs confirm this with passengers.

Fair enough the FA may not have seen this passenger get on with wheelchair, but she didnt ask her, and when she mentioned her leg surely she should have queried it?

Or am I wrong?

You are not wrong. Never should have happened.

Very correct. Next time ask the FA and if they won't do anything ask for the In Charge. It is a safety issue not a comfort issue.

Exit row seats and non-able bodied
 

As the door would have been manned by cabin crew during take off and landing, I believe the CAA rules are more lenient than over wing exits on shorthaul aircraft where it is only passengers nearby. She should not have been allowed to sit in an over wing exit row certainly.

I was in an exit row with a woman who asked the man in the window seat if he would keep his window shade DOWN during take-off as it bothered her to have the window open. I suggested that the exit row might not be the right place for her. She insisted that she was likely the MOST qualified person to sit in the exit row. Who knows? I mentioned that her fear of having the window open did not exactly inspire a lot of confidence - she noted that she was just more comfortable in having it closed. So I told her she had again confirmed my point. I suppose I shamed her into it, but she told the window seat guy to leave the shade open. Somehow, that did not seem like the right result!

What's the controversy? The seat was empty anyway. Does it take more than one person to open the door? Good for the old lady. At least she will be the first in line to get out of the plane in an emergency.

On a similar note, I was asked by a frail looking FA in her 60's asking the passengers if they would be able open the door. Question ia: would she be able to open the door if the situation arises?

Finally, able bodied or not, how many would know how to open the door in the first place? It looks easy but in an emergency these people may freeze.

It's not just about opening the door. It's about not blocking access.

The airlines have brought this on themselves by charging extra for exit row seats making it seem like it's comfort over safety.

There are some exit doors which weigh a non-trivial amount and have to be picked up and placed on the seats, or thrown out of the opening.

http://i.stack.imgur.com/onFUT.jpg

Thing is, the OP is mentioning a BA transatlantic flight. Now unless he was on the LCY-JFK service, that means the flight took place in a widebody. And onboard those aircraft there's a FA manning every door, and there's plenty of space to get out even if the entire exit row is occupied by immobile passengers.

Things are, as has been pointed out above, quite different when you're in a narrowbody and we're talking overwing exits.

And if the FA becomes incapacitated for whatever reason? Or an the FA needs help for whatever reason in opening the exit? There are safety rules for a reason, immobile pax have no business in an exit row, wide body or narrow body.

At least in the US, there are regulations with the force of law about who is permitted to sit in exit rows.

The rules are put in place as a worse case scenario which means that the crew is not able to do their jobs. So regardless of if a crew member should be there the rules treat it as they are not.
An empty seat is better then a passenger who cannot open the door as they are then in the way of the first person who can.

If the plane goes down...we all have bigger issues. Only way we really survive 99% of true crashes is 99% luck anyways. It isn't about that person being in your way. It is about you being strong enough to pull yourself through the cabin with broken limbs and get yourself out. Instead of worrying about "what if" this old lady can't move the door...go to a gym and get strong. That is what matters in accidents. Fighting instincts and strong able bodies.

....which unfortunately not always followed. The last time I was in an exit row (for the record, with no FA seated or stationed nearby), there was a very old senile and feeble guy in the exit row window seat next to me who had to be led to his seat and helped to walk down the aisle. His traveling companion, who was not seated next to him, had to fasten his seat belt for him and then tell him several times, as if talking to a small child, that he must keep it fastened. The GA and FAs should have noticed. I tried to tell one of the FAs without making it an embarrassing incident, but she seemed pretty clueless and ended up asking the guy's companion whether he was able and willing to help in an emergency. Shocking! (My plan was to shove him out of the way if there had been an emergency.)

There are numerous scenarios where a plane did not crash or break apart and a quick exit could make the difference between life or death e.g. on board smoke / fire with the plane being able to make an emergency landing or water landing as planes don't float forever (US 1549)