Emergency Exit Seat
 

Never mind the upgrade. Can anyone tell me how to get an emergenct exit seat?
I am 6 ft 3 and never seem to be able to get this seat. I have often turned up 3 hrs early for a flight and been the first one in the que but still been told they have gone.
How do you get them. And before anyone asks I know you have to be fit and well but I play semi pro rugby so would have no trouble opening the door in an emergency.

Cheers:confused:

Depends on many things. Most likely though is that pax on your sector connected from another point and thus were already allocated the seat upon request when checking-in for their first sector. Or, they are staff pax (but not necessarily flying on rebate tkts) who quite naturally have the appropriate contacts to have those seats "kept" for them.

Or most likely they are taken by a top-tier frequent flyer on that airline.

Make sure on reservation that it is part of your personal profile at your travel agents, and ask for it at reservation time, with the reason. Works 75% of the time.:)

Depends on the airline as well. Apparently Lufthansa allow you to pre assign the emergency exit seats which worries me a little when I see grandma of 80 yrs plus who has difficulty lifting a cup next to a 40kg overwing on a 737.

I agree with Gofer's advice with one caveat-ensure that if the a/c has two overwing exits that you get the one to the rear. Else you may have plenty of legroom but no recline!

Gofer: Still using a travel agent? You must be minted! ;)

flybhx: Grannies and exits are an unsafe combination - I'd ask an FA to have the pax re-seated. If this didn't work, I'd have it referred to the captain. I dunno what the European regulations are, but in the US this is an absolute no-no.

You're better off getting the most forward (bulkhead) seat, because many of the emergency exit seats, as was mentioned earlier, do not recline.

As to little old ladies being next to an overwing 737 "escape hatch;" Actually the new 737s feature "outward and up" hinged doors that no longer need to be "unplugged" and lifted to be positioned on the seat, or to be thrown out unto the wing. Next time you're paxing in a 737-700,-800,-900 NG (Next Generation) take a good look at those new overwing gadgets!
:p