Exit Row Questions
 

I've been on several flights where the individual sitting in the exit row was of a size that seemed as if there would be difficulty actually getting through the exit door. I know that there are restrictions on who sits in exit rows. Do gate agents and/or FA's assess "size" when making these assignments?

Also, I was on cross country flight several years back when female exit row passenger, seated across aisle from me, got completely smashed on the flight. She was in bar before flight, but I don't know how much she drank there. I personally saw her purchase 4 beers during the flight. She was singing and taking clothes off near end of flight. Should there be limitation on alcohol consumption of exit row passengers?

I would think GA's would be the first line in determining exit row ability and then FA's if the GA's didn't do their job. With both jobs, performance and care are highly variable.

Based on mostly travel with SQ, they are pretty selective about who gets exit row seats. However, with Internet Check-In I am interested in seeing if they will reassign "confirmed" seating when the passenger is obviously unsuitable.

I do know that on AS and QX, size matters. Their exit row criteria for most seats (excluding, I believe, seat 1B on the Q400) disqualifies anyone requiring a seat belt extender from sitting in an exit row seat.

Mike

If they are too large to get thru the door, then they should not be allowed on board the aircraft, no? ;)

Or should they be relegated to last place so as to not potentially block any other pax from exiting the burning wreckage? ;)

Alcohol limits? Please see: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...highlight=exit

where a similar question was raised about ambien usage during flight if one was seated in an exit row.

This is a great question. With online reservations of exit seats for elites, the seat assignment is typically not done by the GA any longer. I've seen people I'd consider unfit for emergency exit duties seated in these rows on many flights; especially the elderly and obese seem to be highly attracted to these seats. FAs rarely seem to care. I've never seen anyone moved out of an exit row (hey, who would say "I'm not confortable sitting here, I think I might be too fat"). Btw., I love the "you can't sit here if you need a seatbelt extension because it might hinder evacuation" explanation on the safety card!

But since people regardless of weight or size should not be excluded from the priviledge of flying, maybe it's time for airline designs including interior (wider seats) and safety (wider exit) rows to accomodate the widespread and increasing reality of 'bigger' passengers.

They already do: first class :D

If they are too large to get thru the door, how did they get on the airplane in the first place... :p

Anyway, my parents once were refused exit row setas (on KLM) because they were too old (according to the GA), both are early 70s.

The emergency exits over the wing have about one-half the volume of the cabin doors.

I hate to sound like apig, but will anyways, if theer is any removal of clothing due to alcohol, I will be the first person to buy that person another drink.

Yes, Mike, you did sound like a pig with your comment! It doesn't bother me though...I wish the FA would have reseated the pax, maybe moved her to the back of the plane with you. What I didn't understand about that situation was it was a female FA selling this disrobing, singing female more alcohol, after we had put female pax in position of needing to be able to fully operate exits. Someone posted a link addressing pax taking meds and being seated in exit rows. That's a bit different because we don't know that they are taking meds that might impair abilities. In this case, her impairment was partially caused by the airline and was plain as day.

Some EE row seats do not offer the generous amount of legroom that one normally thinks a seat in the EE row does. Seat 44K on a CX 744 is a good example where a good portion of the leg room is blocked off by the lower half portion of the fattening exit door that in thrusted into the interior side.

As a tall person (6"4'), I believe the exit rows should be designated to those who would find sitting in a normal seat difficult. I can physically fit in Qantas Y in terms of legroom (no problem width-wise), but it's not a very fun experience, and I certainly let the person in front who dares recline know the score with my knees (I don't kick it or anything, just leave them where they are. I am not making myself more uncomfortable than present for anyone).

I've never understood why the 'larger' passengers choose Exit Row though... you need the width, not the legroom. I haven't seen too many people my height and above who need both.

It's just a gripe I have, sorry, when you see either large (I am using this term hopefully in the politically correct sense) people in the exit rows, or short people who don't need them. Though hard to police, in a perfect society, the exit rows should be reserved for those who need them.

*Prepares for barrage of replies...*

Exactly how much strength and coordination is required to operate the exit doors? This has never been clear to me.

I don't know how exactly you quantify it, but you need to be able to lift about 30-40 lbs with arms a bit extended out in front of you, then rotate your body and the 40 lbs being held in your arms to tilt the door down and throw it through the opening it just came out of.

It's not a triathlon but it's not trivial either.

That is about right for the window exit. They weigh about 50 pounds, actually. I just had to whip one around last week in recurrent training. As for the doors, some are quite heavy (older aircraft), and on the flip side, doors on the newer aircraft mostly have power assist, but are more complicated to figure out. Every aircraft is different.

A large person is not required to wait for all the small people to exit the airplane before exiting himself in an emergency.

A passenger in an exit row is not required to whip the removable window panel out of the opening so fast that he crushes his fingers between the panel panel and the fuselage opening. In some cases the window panel is supposed to be dropped into the next seat row rather than outside where it could fall onto and damage the inflatable raft

Travel tips:
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An airline may do well to notice if some passengers are too large to fit through certain exits. Long range planning would include seating those passengers where their "nearest" exit is a large exit.

I know its not feasible to do a practice run onboard, but it woudl be nice if the airport lobby had a mock-up of the escape hatch door that you could open to see how heavy it is, how to do it, etc.

I asked a simular question of a flight attendant regarding drinking and exit rows. Here's the answer.

Thanks for the great responses. My question is regarding serving pax drinks in exit rows. Over a year ago on a flight from Florida to DTW, I was seated in an exit row, aisle seat. The man in the middle seat had at least 5 drinks, then fell asleep leaning heavily against me for the rest of the flight. There was no way he could have helped in an emergency. Any thoughts?

Old May 21, 03, 1:00 am #123
heasdstrong

The exit row is a funny thing. The pax just has to be aware of its operation and agree to help should the need arise. Beyond that you are free to drink what you like. There are no regulations regarding that.

I know there are a lot of people that take Ambien and sit in an exit row (or Ambien and alcohol). They will certainly not be a help. The best you can do is hope that a couple of people around them or coherent enough to figure things out.

I thought people in the Air France threads were saying that it's better to throw the door out the window, rather than putting it on the seat as the diagrams illustrate. The reason is supposed to be that puttig it on the chair might let it get in the way off exiting passengers. Also, throwing it out the now opened exit is faster than trying to place it gently in your seat, especially when people next you are rushing to get out.

One needs to be able to understand and oeprate the different unlocking and opening mechanisms used on different aircraft, and on window exits, to physically pick up and move (toss outside or place across eats) hatches that may weigh over 50 lbs / 23 kg. One needs to be able to listen to and relay various orders / communications, to help passengers' egress, and ideally shoud be able to help quell disorder and panic. One should be able to assist with other, realted operations - opening doors, deploying and stabilizing slides and asssisting people in using them. This is a partial summary - the actual requirements are documented and differ for each aircraft type and configuration, of course.

And much of the time, a quick eyeball glance does not tell you if the exit seat occupant is capable or not. Someone in stunning physical condition may freeze or panic in emergencies, someone who may not look "proper" (especially if we deploy our stereotypes to filter our observations,) may be quite capable. I've sat with fit people who couldn't pay undivided attention to a locomotive bearing down on them and displayed the sentience of a disconnected electric waffle iron, as well as with elders in their 70's who were trained in handling emergencies and could easily maneuver the hatch and be of invaluabel assistance.

I like exit seats - not only because I am large (6'4") and really value the space, but for self-preservation - as a trained emergency responder and rescue diver (we are required to assess and intervene in a number of emergency scenarios,) quite able to operate emergency hatches and all that, I believe I can be of help if the occasin ever offered itself - I hope it never does, but things happen and I've participated or carried out several rescues whilst on holidays.

But not to worry, I'll use my Etymotics, toss down a depressant or two with a half-dozen alcoholic drinks so I won't be bothered by the ruckus... :D

In spite of the many (but not universal by any means) safety cards illustrating the "on seat" hatch placement, many agree tossing the hatch out clear of the fuselage / wing is the most expedient way of handling it.

AF had a surfeit of cabin crew, fortunately, but only evacuated with four of eight emergency exits (reasons have not been determined as yet).