bjh123 my twopenneth as CC.....
The UK CAA (I'm not sure where bannfshire is?) require all self help exits to be manned by able bodied persons (ABP's) who are appropriately briefed.
Airlines vary in their interpretation of ABP's and what passes for an exit row briefing. They also vary in how many pax should be at these exits, some say one per exit others will say the rows should be full.
Suffice it to say that if you took off on a relatively full UK reg aircraft with no ABP's at the self help exits then IMHO you took off illegally in accordance with CAA regs. You should be contacting the company concerned with your concerns or the safety action group of the CAA direct.
No pax should be wary of flagging up a safety concern to the CC. These days we have something called CRM which ensures anything flagged up by a pax to the CC should go to the Captain. I doubt the Captain of your flight would have allowed take off if he knew the exit rows were not manned.
Please don't feel you would "antagonise" the CC by voicing a concern however trivial it may seem to you. If, as in this case, it seems major then you should definately speak up.
LCD
