Exit row requirements

[bjh123]

Thanks for all the interest. My point remains, however, as Low Cost Dolly remarked, the issue is safety and the manning of an emergency exit, not legroom or comfort - if there had been a requirement for an evacuation of the aircraft a. thee was no one at the exits and b. no one had been briefed.

[VS-LHRCSA]

I'm going to stick with my suggestion that if it was requirement on the day, then the cabin crew would have ensured that briefed ABPs were seated at the exits. There is an element of risk having passenger operated exits and the E190 already has four crew operated exits for 90 passengers over relatively short floor area. On a part load, given weight and balance issues, there is every chance that it would not have been necessary and possibly dangerous to have passengers sitting in that row.

To put this in perspective. Look at the rear cabin of the 747. Well over 100 pax, floor space far greater that the E190, 4 doors, 2 of them shared with another cabin and there has never been a requirement for mid cabin passenger operated exits.

[Right Way Up]

Two questions.

1) Can anyone quote the regulations that stipulate this?

2) If you only have one passenger booked on a flight does it have to be cancelled?

[VS-LHRCSA]

Back in my charter days, it was quite common to have single figure loads. I did once operate an L1011 with one passenger, so no, the flight does not have to be cancelled. In fact, with this airline, the passenger was seated at door one left, with a crew member at door one left and right. The remaining seven crew were seating immediately behind the passenger in the forward zone.

[GeorgeCluney]

Had the same discussion and a 20' delay as a result just a few days ago. Confusion came about as the FSO, FAM and TAB (ground staff policy direction) are written by three different authors, each with their own interpretation of the policy. The over-riding factor is that load control weight and balance supercedes the exit row requirement when the pax load is less than 50. Therefore, YES IT IS LEGAL to commit aviation with the exit rows vacant.

Not only do we require ABPs, yet each must agree to do so. Your kite may be (almost) full of ABPs, yet if they all say NO, even if encouraged so at no cost at the Service Desk or upon checkin, then we are obliged to operate with the exits bereft of ABPs.

Mobile (cell 'phone), online or kiosk checkin negates the acceptance of exit row seating. That's because the intended occupant needs to be sighted by checkin staff. If obese, on crutches or otherwise challenged, you will have to take a seat with a slightly shorter distance between your knee-cap and that of the back of the seat in front of you.

Funny request I heard once .. a pax in an exit row asking for an extension seatbelt.

[md 600 driver]

when does someone become a ABP my 16 year old 6 foot plus son was refused as the ryanair cc said it was over 18? other airlines are 16 did the ryanair cc get it wrong ?

[Adamm.]

Seems to be 18 with Ryanair.
However for the last row of seats (exit row) they seem to have a different policy. I was traveling back from Alicante when I went to sit in the last row of seats, I was asked for my passport and ticket as soon as I sat down and was told to move because I'm only 16. Soon after, boarding ran late and they stuck 3 young children in the row I went to sit in, and their parents in the row across from them.

The way I looked at it was... In an emergency is a 7 year old better than a 6ft 4" 16 year old who's currently building hours for his PPL?

[bjh123]

I finally got a response to my enquiry with the airline and was advised that in the event of it being necessary, people would be moved to exit row seats and briefed on procedures. I'd be interested to see how that works in the event of a crash on take off.

[Betty girl]

Overwing exit coverage is usually required on the airbus 320 and 319, at least one pax per row, however if the aircraft is not full and the spread of passengers is low particularily in the centre of the aircraft the SCCM can decide that it is not nessacary to move a passenger there. ie if it were obvious that passengers would all use the main exits.

Hope that helps and I am sure it varies between airline to airline and aircraft to aircraft though.