99% of aircraft accidents are going to be unexpected.
As the pax seated in the emergency exit rows are UNLIKELY to receive instructions from the (dead) cockpit crew - and as the aircraft is likely to be:
(i) on fire;
(ii) in a very unusual attitude;
(iii) in a state of unrecognisable condition......
they now become the carrier's
DESIGNATED PERSONNEL for that emergency EXIT.
Have they been FULLY briefed?
They are - after all - now FULLY RESPONSIBLE for handling the EMERGENCY EXIT adjacent to where they are seated, according to the blah-blah they were handed at check-in.
IF they open the exit, and it was UNSAFE to have done so, they must now wear the full LEGAL responsibility of their actions.
Will the airline cover these responsibilities (is THAT why
VB charge their emergency row occupants the extra $30?).
Or does the airline itself FULLY ACCEPT the responsibility of the actions of emergency row pax in an emergency?