Kaptain M -
We have always assesed the suitability of exit row pax. Even when the CSAs were allocating the seats. We ask the pax to read the card and ask them if they have any questions. You can soon tell if someone does not speak English, for example. Sometimes their friends will try to hide it but you just ask them directly. If they can't respond you move them. Someone who is deaf will know they must be able to HEAR cabin crew instructions as they said they have read the briefing card (the SAME as used by QF). I quite often have pax (before and after free seating) volunteer they are unsuitable to sit at exits.
If someone is hiding an ailment or disability it is our job (although not always nice) to ask them. For example "Are you more than six months pregnant?" "Do you have a prosthetic limb?" "Can you hear what I am saying?" "Do you understand English?" "Are you able to fasten you seatbelt?" We always do it discreetly and it is part of our job. Cabin crew at all airlines do this every day. If pax choose to hide or lie about their disability then they are breaking CASA regulations and it is on their back. I am a flight attendant - not a doctor or a psychic. I cannot make any judgement regarding someone's condition apart from what they tell me and what is required under CASA regulation.
So are you saying that the CSAs at QF can assess pax suitability for exit row seats better than cabin crew onboard? Like I said we have always been responsibile for moving pax who cannot sit there. Not just since free seating. Having free seating makes it nicer as we no longer have to apologise for the CSAs 'oversight'. (Not blaming CSAs - they always had enough to worry about!)
To answer your other question. ANY pax who think they may need extra time with boarding is invited to board two minutes prior to other customers. They just need to be at the gate at -17 mins.
As to the short turn arounds... I have not heard of any major problems. The caterers seem to have a hard time with the 3 minutes they get to do everything. Half our turn arounds are longer than 25 minutes in the current schedule. I think it is just until we get used to it all.
**Just to reiterate. Your issues with JQ exit row pax and FAs assessing suitability are common to almost EVERY airline throughout the world - not just JQ**