Originally Posted by
Herod
It may not be a requirement to listen to the safety briefing, BUT..if you are sitting in an EMERGENCY EXIT, then my take is that you have a DUTY to understand what you may be required to do. Alternatively, if you wish, get off the aeroplane.
If it is not a requirement to listen the safety briefing why make an issue out of it when a passenger chooses not to. All seems very heavy handed. It would appear the passenger was causing no problems to anyone. Just allow the flight to proceed normally. I am surprised at Air New Zealand.
Airlines seem to think it is acceptable to treat passengers in any way they deem fit. Brings back memories of an even more extreme situation in the US where police were brought in to drag a passenger off an aircraft. If the passenger is sat there minding their own business leave them alone. If the passenger is causing the problem, drunk etc then it is different matter.