Exit row
Encyclopedia
An exit row is a row of seats on board a commercial airliner that is next to an emergency exit
. Exit rows may be next to overwing exits
or full-sized exit doors. Passengers seated in exit rows may be required to assist crew members in the event of an emergency evacuation
. Airlines typically provide specific government mandated guidelines on the front of the aircraft safety card
that must be met in order to occupy an exit row seat. Passengers who do not meet these requirements will be reseated.
in an emergency. This leads to problems because many passengers don't pay attention to the exit row briefing provided by flight attendants before each flight and don't read the aircraft safety card
.
which are typically not attended to by flight attendants and require passengers to operate them in the event of an emergency. The second type of exit row is next to a full-sized exit door and a flight attendant
is seated in these rows. The flight attendant
typically sits on a jumpseat.
Emergency exit
An emergency exit in a structure is a special exit for emergencies such as a fire: the combined use of regular and special exits allows for faster evacuation, while it also provides an alternative if the route to the regular exit is blocked by fire, etc....
. Exit rows may be next to overwing exits
Overwing exits
Overwing exits are found on passenger aircraft to provide a means of passenger evacuation onto the wing, where they either continue off the trailing edge by sliding down the extended flaps or by using an evacuation slide that deploys when the exit is opened....
or full-sized exit doors. Passengers seated in exit rows may be required to assist crew members in the event of an emergency evacuation
Emergency evacuation
Emergency evacuation is the immediate and rapid movement of people away from the threat or actual occurrence of a hazard. Examples range from the small scale evacuation of a building due to a bomb threat or fire to the large scale evacuation of a district because of a flood, bombardment or...
. Airlines typically provide specific government mandated guidelines on the front of the aircraft safety card
Aircraft safety card
An aircraft safety card is a document instructing passengers on an aircraft about the procedures for dealing with various emergency conditions that might arise during the flight....
that must be met in order to occupy an exit row seat. Passengers who do not meet these requirements will be reseated.
Comfort Factor
Most exit row seats provide a few more inches of seat pitch compared to non-exit row seats so that passengers have more space to access the exit. Seats in front of an exit row may not be able to recline, which can limit their comfort on longer flights. Nonetheless, airlines have taken advantage of this extra space by reserving exit row seats for frequent fliers or charging fees for booking them. However, these factors have led many passengers to disregard the responsibility that they have in case of an emergency.Hazards
A few hazards and problems exist with exit row seating. Passengers are typically required to operate "self help" or overwing exitsOverwing exits
Overwing exits are found on passenger aircraft to provide a means of passenger evacuation onto the wing, where they either continue off the trailing edge by sliding down the extended flaps or by using an evacuation slide that deploys when the exit is opened....
in an emergency. This leads to problems because many passengers don't pay attention to the exit row briefing provided by flight attendants before each flight and don't read the aircraft safety card
Aircraft safety card
An aircraft safety card is a document instructing passengers on an aircraft about the procedures for dealing with various emergency conditions that might arise during the flight....
.
Kinds of Exit Rows
Typically, there are two kinds of exit rows in which passengers may be seated. There is the exit row next to overwing exitsOverwing exits
Overwing exits are found on passenger aircraft to provide a means of passenger evacuation onto the wing, where they either continue off the trailing edge by sliding down the extended flaps or by using an evacuation slide that deploys when the exit is opened....
which are typically not attended to by flight attendants and require passengers to operate them in the event of an emergency. The second type of exit row is next to a full-sized exit door and a flight attendant
Flight attendant
Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
is seated in these rows. The flight attendant
Flight attendant
Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
typically sits on a jumpseat.