Unintended consequences
Air NZ's seat pricing policy has an unfortunate unintended consequence on its Q300 routes: It impacts negatively on unprepared emergency survivability.
The most expensive seat selection option on regional flights is the emergency exit row, resulting in their frequently remaining unoccupied during flight.
I've mentioned this on occasion to cabin crew whose responses range from the dim - "We want to keep those seats unoccupied so that passengers can easily exit through the window" to the ludicrous "We're trained to climb over the seats and open them ourselves" to the Blinding Flash of the Obvious (relayed from the cockpit, no less) "It's not a CAA requirement"
Oh and "Well, you don’t know our safety procedures”
(Yes I do. You’ve give your safety briefing and I’ve read the emergency instructions. Or is there something I should know that you’re not telling me?)
It comes down to this:
There's a unprepared emergency on either take-off or landing.
No-one has been identified as being fit and willing to assume a key role, let alone been briefed on their responsibility.
Passengers are in shock, perhaps immobilised and unable to reach the window exits due other passengers heading to the front of the aircraft, their logical exit route.
50% of your egress options are non-functional.
And there's such a simple solution: actively offer passengers who meet the selection criteria a seat with more legroom and an empty seat next to them.
Air Nelson management appears to show as much interest in the issue as their cabin staff, by the way......