Must admit in the past I have ocuppied these seats with my son and was sold these as extra legroom, but I certainly don't recall being giving any briefing about what do do in the event of an emergency

I flew with Easyjet from Gatwick last week and was seated in an exit row, not next to the door though. The flight attendant explained to the man in the door seat how to manœuvre the various handles to open the door in case of an emergency.

Judith

I fly on domestic flights and always ask for emergency seats. There is a picture chart on the back of the seat in front showing step by step how to deal with the door in an emergency. The last picture has always made me smile. It shows in colour a picture of a chute with people sliding down to safety onto brilliantly green grass. How often I wonder does that ever happen in a plane crash?

digby wrote:

How often I wonder does that ever happen in a plane crash?

I hope nobody has the oportunity to find out! Instructions on how to open doors are also detailed on safety cards in seat back pockets of non-exit row seats.

Darren

Having flown BA both TATL and European last week, I noticed that the cabin crew made a specific point of checking the suitability of the passengers in the emergency exit rows and explaining what to do in case of an emergency. There was even a small problem that was solved by the steward's diplomacy and the willingness of another passenger to move, basically because one of the passengers in that row was rather barrelchested, and would not move unless his friend could move too. He made quite a fuss, and it is only thanks to the offer of a kind young lady sitting next to an empty seat in another row that he accepted to move.

I have flown in the last few years with Thomson Airways, Monarch, Ryanair, easyJet, First Choice (just prior to Thomson merger) & Thomas Cook and on all occasions people who have been in emergency exits seats have been approached by the cabin crew and given specific information on how to operate the door in an emergency. I was sat in this row with Monarch and they made a specific point of saying the doors are heavy and are we sure we are comfortable to take this responsibility.

Never have I known any airline to allow people who are not fully mobile to be in these seats.

I'm not saying it hasn't happened but I have no experience of this being the case.

Mark

It depends on the aircraft type and where the cabin crew are seated also. If you are sat at the rear emergency exit seats on the 757 then the Cabin Crew don't have to give the passengers a briefing, but the Airbus, 737 and half the 767's they do. That's why you may not always see the cabin crew talking to those passengers about the emergency exits.

(obviously only commenting on Thomson Airways, most airlines have similar safety requirements though)

At Thomas Cook we also have similar rules in place, to occupy an exit seat you must be over 16, physically able bodied, not a deportee, speak english and a size which would not impede an exit. But you also must take into account, when adrenaline takes over your body, if you want to get out, you will find the strength. Only exits with no crew seated near/adjacent to it, ie, self help exits, do the passengers need a briefing.
Yes the airlines sell them as extra legroom seating but as crew we get the final say on who sits there. We wont turf you out if you manage to slip thru the net at check in, we would just move you for take off and landing, and have someone seated there who does fit the criteria. As for the crew being able to monitor everyone sitting down, this is very difficult, as we are often assisting with bags, babies, meal requests and boarding an aircraft to get it out on time, plus some people know this, and often are quite sneaky and dont tell anyone they have a disability, as they think they will get moved... sadly though, this can put everyone in danger, if we, as crew arent aware of how able bodied they are, in the event of an emergency.

Does that mean if you are refused the seat they give you back the money they have accepted when you book on the net or at the travel agents.If these seats are so important they should not be sold as extra leg room,on Qatar Airways you cannot book these seat numbers they can only be allocated at checkin.

I don't believe you would get a refund if you knowingly booked the seats and did not meet the criteria. I have read something to this effect on the Thomson Airways website earlier this year when I booked a flight/extra legroom seats.

qatarman wrote:

Does that mean if you are refused the seat they give you back the money they have accepted when you book on the net or at the travel agents.

The way I understand it, as BY-TOM-AMM-FCA mentions, if you book exit row seats and don't meet the criteria to occupy them, either through knowingly booking the seats even though you don't meet the criteria, or are deamed unsuitable on the day, you can be refused the seating with no refund. The only circumstances you are entitled to a refund is if the seats were booked by the travel agent and they failed to mention the regulations and the passengers unsuitable or there was an error, eg a child as part of a family group. Proving that is another thing though!

Darren

Am I correct in thinking the seats on doors which are manned by cabin crew do not come into this category its only the overwing emergency exits as on say a 737. Sorry BY-TOM- has already answered this,brain not engaged.