Over wing exits
Hi
Ive done a fair amount of flying in USA and over there they are very picky about who sits in the over wing exit row window seat -or if no window seat as sometimes the case ,who sits nearest the window.
Perfectly good reason being that it needs an able bodied person to react, open, and then throw the exit plug out of the aircraft in the event of an emergency on the ground.
Are there any rules in the UK on this.? I ask because as pax on a BA flight into LGW yesterday ona 737-300 with one over wing exit we had the prototype little old lady of about 80 white haired glasses-hearing not great and although healthy looking she was very tiny sat next to the window on the exit row.
With only two overwing exits on a 73-3 I really thought this was a serious ommision on the part of the crew . I didnt say anything pre flight because its a nice seat for the lady to have and the crew were pleasant and cheerful on a short busy sector but it seemed odd that they made a fuss about a person in the other oposite side exit row removing a pair of flip flops from the floor but tolerated someone who was clearly unsuitable to aid in a speedy evacuation-are there any rules on this.
Just curious?
PB