MCOFlyer

Every once in a great while, I've seen people in the exit row say "no" to assisting in an emergency, and I've also seen a couple of them kicked out for not speaking English. This weekend was a weird one though. DH and I were sitting in the exit row on a WN flight, and no less than five people bailed out of the exit row because they were not willing. I've never, ever seen that happen more than once on the same flight, and even that is rare. Have I just been sheltered all this time or were the planets aligned in some strange way to render people incapable of agreeing to open the exit doors?

shiv666

some people are just panicky or sissies...let the people who are brave enjoy the extra space...better than burning alive cause someone said "yes" just to snag extra space...

colpuck

I have seen people moved for english reasons, that's about it.

onlyairfare

I've seen elderly folks and kids moved out of the exit row, but I haven't seen anyone who was able to assist refuse to do so.

I'm not sure how/why babies and children get assigned to the exit row to begin with, but last week I saw a young mother carrying an infant sitting in the exit row. The FA reseated both mom and baby elsewhere and asked a tall businessman-type if he would rather sit in the exit rohis than in a middle seat.

MCOFlyer

All of the people who refused looked able bodied. One was an older lady, but she didn't look feeble. There were two that I think might not have understood what the FA was talking about, but the rest all understood, said no, and went off to find other seats. It was so bad that when two guys finally filled the last two exit seats, the FA said, "Good, I didn't think I'd ever get anyone over here!"

onlyairfare

That is really weird. I'd have thought most people would switch to an exit row seat in an instant just for the extra legroom. After all, plane crashes are very rare, while being a sardine squished into a coach seat is a certainty for the next few hours.

OTOH, I've been on flights where a medical emergency occurred and I've known there were physicians on board who didn't identify themselves and offer to help the sick passenger.

colpuck

That's for liability reasons sadly.

flymeaway

How bizarre...in all my years working the aisles, I've never had anyone decline to assist in an emergency. Strange.

CDTraveler

I challenge your assumption that all those people were simply "not willing" to open the exit doors. I look fairly young and healthy, but the truth is I have major health and mobility issues that would prevent me from attempting to open those doors in case of an emergency. It's not because I fear emergencies or lack the "reaction reflex" - I spent many years on a Code team in an ICU, and I've probably been through more life-threatening emergencies than most FF'ers can imagine.

There are many types of disability that are invisible to the casual bystander; perhaps those folks deserve the benefit of the doubt on their physical fitness and should be commended for their honesty in not agreeing to take on something they couldn't handle.

tonerman

Sissies?
C'mon some people just don't want the responsibility of that position, The only reason I don't decline the position is I wanna be first out the door

moeve

It depends on what kind of door we are talking about..... if it is the kind in the middle where one phyically has to bring it into the cabin turn it and then physically jettison it out again then that is legitimate because these doors weigh between 25 and 30 KG!!! It is here where I get the grates with the FA when they let little old ladies sit in this row knowing exactly wth if push comes to shove they would NEVER beable to open that door.

crabbing

reminds me of the flight i was on last year, when one of the passengers had heart trouble just before they closed the door.

about 80% of first class was occupied with doctors on their way to a cardiovascular conference.

cynicalmoose

I've never seen people explicitly decline to assist in an emergency, but I have seen people ask to be moved because they want to store bags under the seat in front of them.

Mr H

- would you be willing to assist me in the event of an emergency?

- yes of course, provided the emergency happens in the first three hours of the flight. You see, I'm planning to drink a lot so after three hours or so, I'm probably not going to be much help to you.

slawecki

I was thrown out of the exit row once. the F/A asked if i was able to open the exit door. i told the person i did not know, as i had never opened one before.

although a few people may have opened one, most who say they will open it do not know if they are able or not.