Shar

DaveJJ...every time I have been seated in an exit row. we have to give a verbal YES to the questions she asks. I'm surprised they said nothing or Perhaps YES was the only word they knew in English and you just didn't hear. makes me wonder who IS sitting that row and how relible r they in helping in an emergency situation. I have seen some pretty small and older people sitting there(not aming a judgment call onolder people) and I'm sure they couldn't lift a heavy door and get it out of the way. me thinks the airlines are more interesting in getting the exxtra $ for sitting the exit row!

simpsonc510

I was on a very recent United flight (I think it was Tokyo to Chicago) and the FA removed a person from the exit row because she did not speak fluent English! Her English wasn't all that bad, but still, not good enough to help out in an emergency, I would say. I heard the two of them speaking. There was a most definite miscommunication there! Thank you FA for moving her.

dutyfree

The agents at my airline always ask people at check in about their sitting in window exits.
One of our flight attendant duties BEFORE push back is to access the people sitting at exit rows and to get a verbal response from them.
I have moved people many times in my career when I didn't think that someone is going to be able to help get the 52 pound window open,etc.
Were you flying a foreign carrier?

socaltraveler

Oh interesting. I was just reading this very question in the 7/8 New York Times Magazine Ethicist column. It sounded so familiar, and it was asked by Joseph from Australia. Guess he shopped it around. LOL.

cathies

Last year I flew Air Canada from Toronto to Vancouver to Vancouver. We were in the middle row next to the exit row seats. The couple who were in those seats were given the usual discussion with the FA. She made it very clear what their responsibilities were and they were not served very much alcohol during the flight. However, what they were doing was tossing down their duty free bourbon on whatever it was and eventually passed out. The FA realised with about 30 minutes to go.

After a struggle she managed to wake them both from their stupor, gave them an absolute bollocking and then asked if my friend and I would move to their seats. I agreed as did my poor friend, but what the FA didn't know is that my friend is absolutely phobic about sitting in those seats and having that responsibility. We still laugh about it, with her absolutely panic stricken and me, pretty fit and prepared to have a go at throwing that door out of the plane.

NoFlyZone

Cathie, sounds like your friend was just as unable to perform exit row duties as were the drunks. She was just as dangerous and unsafe for agreeing as the original pair was.

(And for the record, the exit door is not always thrown out of the aircraft, more usually being placed on the seat. And the other person (or two) are responsible for clearing way and assisting others in exiting.)

cathies

I agree that she may have been hopeless, I guess at least she would have been able to help with other things and wasn't falling down drunk.

Kathie

The airlines, of course, would prefer that you set the exit door carefully on the seat, but in an emergency, throwing it out of the plane clears the way for an emergency exit much faster.

cathies

In the event that we weren't all dead after the crash, I'm not sure I would be thinking clearly enough to remember to put the door carefully on the seat! In my panic there's every possibility it would land on top of my panic stricken friend!! Maybe we shouldn't sit there again

Cowboy1968

I am wondering who is in charge of those "duties" if no one wants to sit in an exit row. After all, it is each pax' right to decline a seat in these rows.
And I wonder who actually has ever handled an object weighing more than 50 pounds and "thrown" it somewhere. I assume that many people that consider themselves fit and able and sober will not be able to perform such a task properly. Not even taking into consideration what stress will do to those physically able.
And, judging from the pictures you see in the safety briefing cards, the airlines don't expect you to put the door in the seat but throw it out of that hole. it would be stupid beyond believe to leave such a heavy piece of steel in the escape route at an exit.
And, finally, as dutyfree has pointed out, I wonder how many of those people who drugged themselves with tranquilizers (which, after reading a trillion "recommendations" here seems to be the norm for many people on a long distance flight) consider themselves as unfit as a drunk person. Probably not many, unfortunately.