Originally Posted by
PastTense
The passenger has probably heard airline safety instructions dozens of time before. Is there that much difference between them? Frankly it surprised me that the crew made a big deal about this situation.
It's not enough that she has heard the instructions before. It is also necessary that the flight crew know that she is willing and able to operate the exit door. The easiest way to accomplish that is by having the passenger listen to the instructions and then indicate that they are able to carry out those instructions.
This is one of the airplane systems that must be checked before the flight begins. In the same way you would not depart without knowing that there is sufficient fuel on the plane, you also don't depart without knowing that the exit row is operational.
And I would say that in this case, that procedure certainly worked - in that they discovered that the passenger was not willing and able to even listen to instructions.
Certainly at that point, the passenger needed to be relocated. I'm not sure what some of the people who defend this passenger think the FA should have done, but clearly just telling the passenger to move wasn't going to work. Perhaps the FA could escalate things a bit by tapping the pax on the shoulder to attempt to get her attention - but the pax had already indicated that she was deliberately ignoring the FA. Given the situation, what would you have the FA do? Wait it out? He or she has to call in the police.
The police are there because it has been decided that some sort of physical confrontation cannot be avoided. The police are primarily interested in performing the operation in a way that minimizes risk to themselves and others. Their mission is not to resolve the dispute, it is to remove a passenger in the most controlled way possible.
Now, as to those safety messages - I suppose one can never see how to fasten a seat belt too many times. But I've been swapped to the seat next to the exit door a couple of times (because the original pax was unable to work the door) and have found the instructions to be a bit on the light side. When told that I would be opening the door in cases when the FA was not able to, I asked when should I open the door. Response: "You'll know". OK. I later heard that you keep the doors shut when there is "water or fire" on the other side. So, yeah, I get the idea. If evacuation is needed (or announced), and the door leads to a potential escape route without creating a bigger problem, then open it.