Emergency exit seats

[WHBM]

Originally Posted by scott_cardiff

My father who has previously suffered from DVT called to pre-book an extra leg room seat with TOM this morning, only to be told by the call centre advisor that he was not eligible and would not be able to open the exit if there was an emergency. WHAT, with DVT?!?!?!?!??.

Contrary to some belief, airline personnel do not have medical degrees. If somebody states they have some "condition", especially one known just by initials, then no exit row. Goodness me, this pax advises they have had difficulty with sitting in airline seats on previous occasions and then expects to be seated in the prime position to take responsibility for the emergency exit.

[bunkrest]

I had an interesting experience as a pax on a domestic qantas 73 a couple of months ago...burly, clearly not having one of her better days, crew thundered up to us. I didn't even have chance to say I was cc when she launched a barrage of sep intensity questions at me.."what command would I hear when I needed to use it, when would I not use it, what situation would I use it without hearing the command" etc etc. When I rattled off the answers and outlined the finer points of what constituted catastrophic and non catastrophic she seemed more than a little crest fallen...The poor civilians sitting in the row behind didn't fair so well and were promptly moved...

I'm all for a thorough briefing but this one had even me sweating!

[scott_cardiff]

It seems that you're not all that clued up on medical conditions yourself....

DVT does not necessarily pose you a physical disability which would prevent you from operating the emegency exit. He did not get the condition from flying what so ever, however, if he were to sit in Y class then there is a chance the condition would return.

Let's not assume ay...

[skyhidude]

May I interject as someone who is CC with a UK airline and formerly of the afore mentioned Irish company...

At the time I was at that company, there was no IAA requirement to brief self help exit passengers, or even to have them occupied, however the training department were circulating the idea of introducing it. Dont know if this happend or not since I left them!

However, in the UK it IS a CAA requirement that the exits are manned and pax are briefed. So it is possible that there is no requirement in the country of origin of the 'big blue airline' to have pax at the o/w, hence they didnt move anyone!

Cheers,

S.

[passy777]

The list of unsuitable occupants is ssentially as follows (there are some minor airline/national variations).

• No Children
• No Obese
• No Disabled
• No Prisoners in Custody/Deportees
• No Infants
• No Elderly/Frail

Out of curiosity, how would CC deal with a seemingly 'suitable' person who occupies an emergency exit who then becomes intoxicated with alcohol mid flight?

As Tight Slot has alluded to in a previous posting, normally there are no problems when an unsuitable pax has been asked to change their allocated emergency exit seat during the boarding process.

I could however, envisage potential confrontation should a 'suitable' person (on boarding) who has been allocated an emergency exit be asked to move 'mid flight' due to becoming intoxicated during the journey.

As anyone under the influence of alcohol may not be allowed to board an aircraft, it would be a reasonable assumption to state that a pax who was sober on boarding and becomes intoxicated later, then that pax should surely be deemed as unsuitable to fulfil the requirements of occupying such a seat? Indeed, such a pax could potentially be a hindrance should an evacuation become necessary.

Perhaps a rule could be implemented (assuming there are no such guidelines/ACOP's in place) that anyone occupying emergency exits will not be served alcohol for the duration of the flight. I would suspect that many passengers would not be so keen on bagging such seats if this was enforced!

[Businesstraveller]

'I would suspect that many passengers would not be so keen on bagging such seats if this was enforced'

Rather depends how the passenger got to the emergencxy exit seat in the first place. If they got it for free, they may be put off by a 'no alcohol' policy. If however, they are tall (like myself) and pay the extra for a preferential seat (invariably exit row) on a long haul flight, there is a good chance they'd just put up with a 'no alcohol' policy. I know I would, if it meant reducing the chance of a seriously aching back after 12hrs.

[Papa Sierra]

Occupying emergency exit seats

When flying LH from Frankfurt to JFK, two elderly ladies were sat in one of the "emergency rows", clearly they needed the extra space. The FAs politely asked my friend and I (2 reasonably able bodied individuals!) to swap seats with these ladies for T/O and Ldg. We were happy to oblige and I consider this to be a very sensible solution, especially as we were given a complimentary bottle of champagne later in the flight. I hasten to add that we were "sober" by the time we landed!!

[urok]

From Australian Civil Aviation Order 20.16.3:

Passengers who could obstruct or hinder access to emergency exits are
restricted from being seated in exit rows. These are:
• People with permanent or temporary disabilities;
• Children under 15years of age;
• Adults nursing infants;
• People who do not understand or speak English;
• People requiring extension seat belts;
• Deportees or prisoners in custody; and

If contravention of CAO20.16.3 does occur, cabin crew must relocate
the passenger to another available seat. If it is necessary to re-seat a
passenger, care must be taken so as not to embarrass nor prejudice
these passengers

In addition to regulatory requirements, company policy at QF group (so QF & JQ/3K/BL) and DJ also includes pregnant women over 6 months gestation.

"CAO20.16.3-2 defines a ‘handicapped person’ as: “a person requiring
special attention because of illness, injury, age, congenital malfunction,
or other temporary or permanent incapacity or disability which makes
that person unable without special facilities or assistance to utilise air
transport facilities and services as effectively as persons who are not so
affected”.
A disability that impairs the passenger’s ability to move quickly in the
event of an emergency may include:
• Passengers who require a wheelchair (WCHC/R/S) or upper torso
harness (TRSO).
• Passengers with a temporary or permanently stiff knee(s), knee(s)
in plaster, brace or splint.
• Passengers who are frail and aged.
• Passengers requiring medical clearance (MEDA).
• Passengers with intellectual disabilities.
• Passengers who are deaf.
• Passengers who are visually impaired.
• Passengers travelling with a guide/hearing dog."