After a recent trip I feel it now necessary to write this article. The emergency exit sitting areas on a plane are for people who may need to assist in an emergency situation not people who want extra leg room. Most airlines require that the people who sit in these type seats be phyiscally able to assist with opening the emergency windows.

  Recently returning from a conference I witnessed this first hand. Walking onto a flight and finding an elderly couple sitting in an emergency exit seats with all their gear spread out in these sitting areas caused major heartburn. The closet person to the window exit was no way able to assist or an open the window exit if necessary. The person sitting aisle seat next to this person was also not able to assist if necessary. When the steward came around and stopped in that area of the emergency exit area for a briefing he seemed like he could care less. He did the usual speech about sitting in an emergency exit and asked if everyone sitting in these area were ok with this. All he needed was [Read more →]