You are being very rude. You just quoted my ORIGINAL post. So how was I supposed to know in advance that you were going to answer this 2 or 3 times. I am not Miss Clio!

ALRIGHT we get it! The exit rows do not have to have passengers in them. But stop acting like noone is listening to you. Also, as long as you are refering to my original post, look closely; the scenerio stated that the plane was full. So your reply doesn't answer the question fully. From other posts I see that they would most likely remove the exit row passengers from the plane.

For those who keep stating that this could never happen or the chances are nil: Watch the documentary-drama "From Here to the Moon" regarding Apollo 13. All the greatest minds at NASA state that had anyone proposed the scenerio that later crippled the mission they all would have laughed and said that it could never happen in a million years - but it did. If you need another example watch any documentary on 9/11 and if the then-head of the FAA is interviewed you will hear him state that they had no plan for bringing down every plane in the sky because they never dreamed of a scenerio anywhere near the one on 9/11. So "impossible" things do happen.

If a gate agent says "you know you are sitting in an exit row" as a pax is boarding and the pax says "yes", that doesn't mean that the pax speaks English. I know how to say "yes", "no", "thank you", and "where is the bathroom?" in about a dozen languages but I don't "speak" all of those languages.

If it is the gate agent's responsibility then why are the FAs required to confirm all the rules and why do the security videos list the rules. After all, this should be moot because the gate agents already took care of all of this.

My United FA friend tells me that he flys LAX to Guatemala often. He says that many times they can't find anyone who speaks English well and that often the plane is full of elderly people some of whom have been assigned exit row seats. Although he said he has never encountered any of my scenerios exactly he told me that, on that route, the crew sometimes has had to go row by row searching for someone who speaks English AND is not frail AND is willing to do the exit row duties.

So remember that these were, from the start, HYPOTHETICALS. It takes zero intelligence to say "that could never happen". If you can back it up with mathematical probabilities then do that but stop patting yourselves on the back for pointing out how unlikely that any of these situations could occur. We all know that the chances are unlikely if not miniscule. Haven't any of you ever played the "what if" game?

What IF the plane was all exit rows... what then? Let's discuss...

Look again. My last post did answer that.

Now THERE'S a "what if" I can sink my teeth into. With some of the puddle jumpers that regional airlines use I can actually envision a plane where all seats are next to the exit. LOL

That made me think of A/C's like the Beech 1900 or J31/32 which have 16-19 seats and in some cases 4-5 of them are "exit" seats. If there was say, a group of senior citizens or non-english speakers headed on a J32 from STL-PAH, and the whole plane was filled with them, what could happen. This senerio is possible, much more so than on a jumbo jet!

Those planes also do not have an FA. Usually the FO does the safety briefing and safety check.

This is, of course, a complete overstatement. People are not chained into their cabins. While movement between cabins is discouraged, it is perfectly all right for passengers to shift seats at the request of a flight attendant. In the scenario presented by the OP, clearly there is an exigent circumstance which could require the movement, although as other posters have suggested, the obvious solution is to bump the inappropriate passengers out of the exit row and leave them empty.

I would also add that this idea of no moving between cabins is only true for American airlines, with their rules-based approach to security. First and business class customers frequently take trips "down the back" on European airlines for light exercise, etc.. The restriction is only moving up in class, not down.

No airline in their right mind would ask a PS customer in F/C to move into Y.

I don't remember if it was a UA or a NW board where made a comment which was perceived as racial/xenophobic (rightfully so IMO).

They didn't say that, they said the prudent airline would remove the passengers in question from the exit row and off the flight and fly with said rows empty.

It's not racial or xenophobic to ensure that people sitting in the exit row can understand and speak English so they can assist with an evacuation. It's in the FARs. Sorry, but you're wrong.

Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations 121.585 Exit seating.
(a)(1) Each certificate holder shall determine, to the extent necessary to perform the applicable functions of paragraph (d) of this section, the suitability of each person it permits to occupy an exit seat, in accordance with this section. For the purpose of this section�

(i) Exit seat means�

(A) Each seat having direct access to an exit; and,

(B) Each seat in a row of seats through which passengers would have to pass to gain access to an exit, from the first seat inboard of the exit to the first aisle inboard of the exit.

(ii) A passenger seat having �direct access� means a seat from which a passenger can proceed directly to the exit without entering an aisle or passing around an obstruction.

(2) Each certificate holder shall make the passenger exit seating determinations required by this paragraph in a non-discriminatory manner consistent with the requirements of this section, by persons designated in the certificate holder's required operations manual.

(3) Each certificate holder shall designate the exit seats for each passenger seating configuration in its fleet in accordance with the definitions in this paragraph and submit those designations for approval as part of the procedures required to be submitted for approval under paragraphs (n) and (p) of this section.

(b) No certificate holder may seat a person in a seat affected by this section if the certificate holder determines that it is likely that the person would be unable to perform one or more of the applicable functions listed in paragraph (d) of this section because�

(1) The person lacks sufficient mobility, strength, or dexterity in both arms and hands, and both legs:

(i) To reach upward, sideways, and downward to the location of emergency exit and exit-slide operating mechanisms;

(ii) To grasp and push, pull, turn, or otherwise manipulate those mechanisms;

(iii) To push, shove, pull, or otherwise open emergency exits;

(iv) To lift out, hold, deposit on nearby seats, or maneuver over the seatbacks to the next row objects the size and weight of over-wing window exit doors;

(v) To remove obstructions similar in size and weight to over-wing exit doors;

(vi) To reach the emergency exit expeditiously;

(vii) To maintain balance while removing obstructions;

(viii) To exit expeditiously;

(ix) To stabilize an escape slide after deployment; or

(x) To assist others in getting off an escape slide;

(2) The person is less than 15 years of age or lacks the capacity to perform one or more of the applicable functions listed in paragraph (d) of this section without the assistance of an adult companion, parent, or other relative;

(3) The person lacks the ability to read and understand instructions required by this section and related to emergency evacuation provided by the certificate holder in printed or graphic form or the ability to understand oral crew commands.

(4) The person lacks sufficient visual capacity to perform one or more of the applicable functions in paragraph (d) of this section without the assistance of visual aids beyond contact lenses or eyeglasses;

(5) The person lacks sufficient aural capacity to hear and understand instructions shouted by flight attendants, without assistance beyond a hearing aid;

(6) The person lacks the ability adequately to impart information orally to other passengers; or,

(7) The person has:

(i) A condition or responsibilities, such as caring for small children, that might prevent the person from performing one or more of the applicable functions listed in paragraph (d) of this section; or

(ii) A condition that might cause the person harm if he or she performs one or more of the applicable functions listed in paragraph (d) of this section.

(c) Each passenger shall comply with instructions given by a crewmember or other authorized employee of the certificate holder implementing exit seating restrictions established in accordance with this section.

(d) Each certificate holder shall include on passenger information cards, presented in the language in which briefings and oral commands are given by the crew, at each exit seat affected by this section, information that, in the event of an emergency in which a crewmember is not available to assist, a passenger occupying an exit seat may use if called upon to perform the following functions:

(1) Locate the emergency exit;

(2) Recognize the emergency exit opening mechanism;

(3) Comprehend the instructions for operating the emergency exit;

(4) Operate the emergency exit;

(5) Assess whether opening the emergency exit will increase the hazards to which passengers may be exposed;

(6) Follow oral directions and hand signals given by a crewmember;

(7) Stow or secure the emergency exit door so that it will not impede use of the exit;

(8) Assess the condition of an escape slide, activate the slide, and stabilize the slide after deployment to assist others in getting off the slide;

(9) Pass expeditiously through the emergency exit; and

(10) Assess, select, and follow a safe path away from the emergency exit.

(e) Each certificate holder shall include on passenger information cards, at each exit seat�

(1) In the primary language in which emergency commands are given by the crew, the selection criteria set forth in paragraph (b) of this section, and a request that a passenger identify himself or herself to allow reseating if he or she:

(i) Cannot meet the selection criteria set forth in paragraph (b) of this section;

(ii) Has a nondiscernible condition that will prevent him or her from performing the applicable functions listed in paragraph (d) of this section;

(iii) May suffer bodily harm as the result of performing one or more of those functions; or

(iv) Does not wish to perform those functions; and

(2) In each language used by the certificate holder for passenger information cards, a request that a passenger identify himself or herself to allow reseating if he or she lacks the ability to read, speak, or understand the language or the graphic form in which instructions required by this section and related to emergency evacuation are provided by the certificate holder, or the ability to understand the specified language in which crew commands will be given in an emergency.

(3) May suffer bodily harm as the result of performing one or more of those functions; or,

(4) Does not wish to perform those functions.

A certificate holder shall not require the passenger to disclose his or her reason for needing reseating.

(f) Each certificate holder shall make available for inspection by the public at all passenger loading gates and ticket counters at each airport where it conducts passenger operations, written procedures established for making determinations in regard to exit row seating.

(g) No certificate holder may allow taxi or pushback unless at least one required crewmember has verified that no exit seat is occupied by a person the crewmember determines is likely to be unable to perform the applicable functions listed in paragraph (d) of this section.

(h) Each certificate holder shall include in its passenger briefings a reference to the passenger information cards, required by paragraphs (d) and (e), the selection criteria set forth in paragraph (b), and the functions to be performed, set forth in paragraph (d) of this section.

(i) Each certificate holder shall include in its passenger briefings a request that a passenger identify himself or herself to allow reseating if he or she�

(1) Cannot meet the selection criteria set forth in paragraph (b) of this section;

(2) Has a nondiscernible condition that will prevent him or her from performing the applicable functions listed in paragraph (d) of this section;

(3) May suffer bodily harm as the result of performing one or more of those functions listed in paragraph (d) of this section; or,

(4) Does not wish to perform those functions listed in paragraph (d) of this section.

A certificate holder shall not require the passenger to disclose his or her reason for needing reseating.

(j) [Reserved]

(k) In the event a certificate holder determines in accordance with this section that it is likely that a passenger assigned to an exit seat would be unable to perform the functions listed in paragraph (d) of this section or a passenger requests a non-exit seat, the certificate holder shall expeditiously relocate the passenger to a non-exit seat.

(l) In the event of full booking in the non-exit seats and if necessary to accommodate a passenger being relocated from an exit seat, the certificate holder shall move a passenger who is willing and able to assume the evacuation functions that may be required, to an exit seat.

(m) A certificate holder may deny transportation to any passenger under this section only because�

(1) The passenger refuses to comply with instructions given by a crewmember or other authorized employee of the certificate holder implementing exit seating restrictions established in accordance with this section, or

(2) The only seat that will physically accommodate the person's handicap is an exit seat.

(n) In order to comply with this section certificate holders shall�

(1) Establish procedures that address:

(i) The criteria listed in paragraph (b) of this section;

(ii) The functions listed in paragraph (d) of this section;

(iii) The requirements for airport information, passenger information cards, crewmember verification of appropriate seating in exit seats, passenger briefings, seat assignments, and denial of transportation as set forth in this section;

(iv) How to resolve disputes arising from implementation of this section, including identification of the certificate holder employee on the airport to whom complaints should be addressed for resolution; and,

(2) Submit their procedures for preliminary review and approval to the principal operations inspectors assigned to them at the certificate-holding district office.

(o) Certificate holders shall assign seats prior to boarding consistent with the criteria listed in paragraph (b) and the functions listed in paragraph (d) of this section, to the maximum extent feasible.

FWIW, I have been on flights where a child (not teen, more like 8) had been assigned the exit row. So it does happen. The FA moved the family.

Once upon a time my brother and I were at the gate to board the last leg of our flight (CLT to AVL) to return home. It was in July of that year. At the gate area it was deserted. It looked like there was just going to be about 5 of us on the flight. We were way down at the end of the B concourse. Then we heard this noise. It was 60 - 75 ten to twelve year olds and one counselor. We were on a camper flight We and the other adult passengers were moved to the exit rows.

Oh, and the captain had to come out to finally get the kids to stop pressing the flight attendent call buttons. The FA's must have felt sorry for us, because I have never had so many free drinks in coach on a 92 mile flight