what's the deal with people in exit row who say "NO" when asked by UA flight attendan
Jul 19, 2019, 4:00 pm
#61
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I've had a few times in IRROPs where the gate agents have thought they were doing me a favor and booking me into the exit row. Usually they ask, and I'll decline at that point, but if I didn't catch it until I was onboard I would be finding a way to swap away from the exit row as I know I couldn't physically help in an emergency (used to I could but I know my limitations). But I wouldn't be waiting until the FA started asking the qualification questions.
Jul 19, 2019, 4:34 pm
#62
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Edit: someone alerted me to a YouTube video of a similar guy actively refusing to be in the exit row seat on British Airways Boeing 737 on a domestic US flight within California. https://youtu.be/ZQyaoTVM2bQ
Now back to the original thread topic.
Jul 19, 2019, 5:58 pm
#63
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I saw this one time quite a while ago. I think the passenger was a 30-something woman who sounded like a native English speaker.
She answered "no" immediately on being asked.
(FWIW my total United flight miles are modest compared to other people here at ~800 k)
She answered "no" immediately on being asked.
(FWIW my total United flight miles are modest compared to other people here at ~800 k)
Jul 20, 2019, 6:26 am
#64
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Similar situation happened to my seatmate.
Me: Second exit row window seat A320
Seatmates: Older couple of what appeared to be of Indian descent in the aisle and middle seats
First exit row in front of me: Appears to be the son, wife and lap child
F/A does the exit row briefing with my row first where I acknowledge with a "yes" and there are blank stares from my seatmates.
F/A repeats her question to my seatmates where the apparent son turns around from the row in front and speak to the couple in what could have been Hindi and the next thing that it heard from the couples' mouths is the word "yes"
F/A was having none of that and point blank asked the couple if they understood "sufficient english" [F/A's words] to assist in an emergency where the apparent son said the same thing to the couple where they again responded with the word "yes"
That was it for the F/A who told the couple that they were going to be re-seated-and of course she was met with blank stares so she turned to the apparent son and instructed him to translate. He was not happy and was about to start an argument but the F/A nipped that in the bud and then said to him that if the woman sitting next to him with the lap child was his wife, she was also going to be re-seated as lap children are not permitted in the exit row.
Me: Second exit row window seat A320
Seatmates: Older couple of what appeared to be of Indian descent in the aisle and middle seats
First exit row in front of me: Appears to be the son, wife and lap child
F/A does the exit row briefing with my row first where I acknowledge with a "yes" and there are blank stares from my seatmates.
F/A repeats her question to my seatmates where the apparent son turns around from the row in front and speak to the couple in what could have been Hindi and the next thing that it heard from the couples' mouths is the word "yes"
F/A was having none of that and point blank asked the couple if they understood "sufficient english" [F/A's words] to assist in an emergency where the apparent son said the same thing to the couple where they again responded with the word "yes"
That was it for the F/A who told the couple that they were going to be re-seated-and of course she was met with blank stares so she turned to the apparent son and instructed him to translate. He was not happy and was about to start an argument but the F/A nipped that in the bud and then said to him that if the woman sitting next to him with the lap child was his wife, she was also going to be re-seated as lap children are not permitted in the exit row.
Jul 20, 2019, 6:38 am
#65
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Same question for the 100th time: How does a gate agent, alerted by the beep that the BP is for an exit row, not notice the lap child? I could see the son prepping the couple to respond "Yes" to the GA's "Do you realize you're in an Exit Row" question, but a lap child?
I was on a flight (not UA) where both the GA and FA permitted some old senile guy to sit in a window exit row seat. He had to be helped to the seat (physically and mentally, as he couldn't walk down the aisle unaided and he also didn't understand 8A on the RJ) by his middle aged daughter (I assume) and then couldn't understand that he needed to fasten his seat belt, so she got out of her seat to do this for him too. He was so out of it that when he ate a few normal cookies during the flight, he got crumbs all over the place as he didn't have the coordination to get the food to his mouth. It was sad, but he certainly didn't belong in an exit row and this should have been obvious at boarding. He never answered yes, or even gave any sign that he understood the question, but the FA shrugged it off.
Jul 20, 2019, 10:04 am
#66
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Same question for the 100th time: How does a gate agent, alerted by the beep that the BP is for an exit row, not notice the lap child? I could see the son prepping the couple to respond "Yes" to the GA's "Do you realize you're in an Exit Row" question, but a lap child?
Jul 20, 2019, 11:05 am
#67
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I was on a flight (not UA) where both the GA and FA permitted some old senile guy to sit in a window exit row seat. He had to be helped to the seat (physically and mentally, as he couldn't walk down the aisle unaided and he also didn't understand 8A on the RJ) by his middle aged daughter (I assume)
I saw something similar on a recent UA flight from latin america... but it was a flight attendant leading a confused older guy up from back in the plane and putting him in an exit row window seat. She was telling him "sir, this is your seat". I wouldn't say the guy was senile, but he was definitely small, frail, with dubious english skills, and behaving as if he had never stepped on a plane before in his life.
Jul 20, 2019, 8:36 pm
#68
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I've never seen anyone say "no" but have seen people who seemed too frail to help. And when traveling with my mother, I never book us in an exit row. I've also interpreted for a Japanese kid (?)/teenager, explained the spiel and told him to "say 'yes' in English" and the FA let him stay there, but I figured I'd be the one opening the door and he'd be out of the aircraft with me (or the person on the other side of him, who did speak English, should something have happened to me) if something went wrong so he didn't really represent a safety threat, as far as I was concerned.
Aug 3, 2019, 8:24 am
#69
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On Delta I have seen them pull-move anyone that requires assistance from the exit row prior to boarding. The English I believe is only a Domestic requirement, since I have seen them ask in other languages for international flights or at least the language of the flight.
Last edited by troyintn; Aug 3, 2019 at 8:34 am
Aug 3, 2019, 8:56 am
#70
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I've always thought it would be interesting if there were such a thing as an exit-row safety certification. I know that would be wildly impractical to implement and it's not solving a problem that people think exists today. Still, I wouldn't mind having an opportunity to practice opening an exit, laying it correctly across the seats if it's not attached, and getting off a wing.
Aug 3, 2019, 12:59 pm
#71
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It has been a while since I sat in an exit row but did it twice yesterday.
Firstly I was asked by the agent when checking in and then by the GA when presenting my BP and thirdly on the plane by the FA.
Now I appreciate not everyone checks in a bag but am assuming OLCI asks the same question (I actually was switching to earlier flights at check-in and lost my FC seats - it is okay they were short hops.)
So twice asked the question before even getting to my seat for the question to be asked by the FA.
(I like the exit row but it takes a long time to get off the plane. I usually sit in the bulkhead row in E+.)
Firstly I was asked by the agent when checking in and then by the GA when presenting my BP and thirdly on the plane by the FA.
Now I appreciate not everyone checks in a bag but am assuming OLCI asks the same question (I actually was switching to earlier flights at check-in and lost my FC seats - it is okay they were short hops.)
So twice asked the question before even getting to my seat for the question to be asked by the FA.
(I like the exit row but it takes a long time to get off the plane. I usually sit in the bulkhead row in E+.)
Aug 3, 2019, 1:13 pm
#72
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On Delta I have seen them pull-move anyone that requires assistance from the exit row prior to boarding. The English I believe is only a Domestic requirement, since I have seen them ask in other languages for international flights or at least the language of the flight.
Aug 3, 2019, 1:23 pm
#73
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I was on a Southwest flight and when asked to verbally confirm, the man next to me said no. The FA said, well, then I will have to move you.
He said that he still wanted the exit row, but didn’t want the responsibility. His wife was sitting next to him. The f/a said that he would have to move. He then said he was kidding. She said it was too late and asked his wife if she wanted to move as well. The wife said that she was fine where she was and told her husband to shut up and do what the FA says.
I wonder if some people think cooperating is optional.
He said that he still wanted the exit row, but didn’t want the responsibility. His wife was sitting next to him. The f/a said that he would have to move. He then said he was kidding. She said it was too late and asked his wife if she wanted to move as well. The wife said that she was fine where she was and told her husband to shut up and do what the FA says.
I wonder if some people think cooperating is optional.
Aug 3, 2019, 4:19 pm
#74
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I was on a Swiss Air flight and the two gentlemen next to me shrugged when the flight attendant asked them if they spoke German or English. One of their friends in another row tried to tell the flight attendant that it was OK for them to be there… But she probably move them and I had the whole exit row to myself… Definitely won the lottery
Aug 3, 2019, 5:43 pm
#75
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I was on a Swiss Air flight and the two gentlemen next to me shrugged when the flight attendant asked them if they spoke German or English. One of their friends in another row tried to tell the flight attendant that it was OK for them to be there… But she probably move them and I had the whole exit row to myself… Definitely won the lottery