Narrative:

I am a certificated airman, holding ratings for a sel and a valid third class medical. On apr/xx/95 I was a passenger on flight XXX sfo-pit direct. The flight was quite full and as is my custom, informed the ticket agent of my aviation backgnd and requested exit row seating. The agent assigned me to seat xx, the aisle seat on the right side of the aircraft (B757) next to the exit. Several mins before the scheduled XA45 departure, the gate agent boarded and informed me that I was not qualified to operate the exit and that I was required to move to a seat toward the rear of the aircraft. The agent must have made this determination by observing a slight deformity of my left hand. When I offered to show my airman and medical certificates the agent was not interested. When I asked for a word with the captain, the agent said that he was not about to bother him with this matter. I reluctantly relocated to the other seat, but after landing I had the opportunity to discuss the matter with the captain. I asked him if he would rather have certificated airmen in exits in preference to others. The captain agreed with this statement, but he further indicated that he had not made a personal evaluation of my fitness to occupy the emergency seat. Rather, he said that he accepted the judgement of others (cabin crew or ramp agents). The situation was to be disturbing for several reasons: 1) the exit row xx seats were occupied by 2 elderly women, a very overweight man over 60 and 2 slightly built women. I question the ability of any of these individuals to operate the exit if required. 2) the communication of information concerning the safe conduct of the flight was somewhat impeded between the agents, cabin crew and flight crew. In reflecting upon these events, I feel that I can make several suggestions to improve safety. 1) that exit rows should be occupied by those who have demonstrated competence in aviation operations. These include crews in transit, certificated airmen, a&P mechanics, etc. 2) that the request to bring relevant safety information to the attention of the flight crew should not be impeded by cabin crew or gate agents. Whenever I act as PIC, I always request those flying with me to point out anything which appears to compromise the safety of the flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT RPT REGARDING EMER EXIT ROW ASSIGNMENT POLICY.

Narrative: I AM A CERTIFICATED AIRMAN, HOLDING RATINGS FOR A SEL AND A VALID THIRD CLASS MEDICAL. ON APR/XX/95 I WAS A PAX ON FLT XXX SFO-PIT DIRECT. THE FLT WAS QUITE FULL AND AS IS MY CUSTOM, INFORMED THE TICKET AGENT OF MY AVIATION BACKGND AND REQUESTED EXIT ROW SEATING. THE AGENT ASSIGNED ME TO SEAT XX, THE AISLE SEAT ON THE R SIDE OF THE ACFT (B757) NEXT TO THE EXIT. SEVERAL MINS BEFORE THE SCHEDULED XA45 DEP, THE GATE AGENT BOARDED AND INFORMED ME THAT I WAS NOT QUALIFIED TO OPERATE THE EXIT AND THAT I WAS REQUIRED TO MOVE TO A SEAT TOWARD THE REAR OF THE ACFT. THE AGENT MUST HAVE MADE THIS DETERMINATION BY OBSERVING A SLIGHT DEFORMITY OF MY L HAND. WHEN I OFFERED TO SHOW MY AIRMAN AND MEDICAL CERTIFICATES THE AGENT WAS NOT INTERESTED. WHEN I ASKED FOR A WORD WITH THE CAPT, THE AGENT SAID THAT HE WAS NOT ABOUT TO BOTHER HIM WITH THIS MATTER. I RELUCTANTLY RELOCATED TO THE OTHER SEAT, BUT AFTER LNDG I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE MATTER WITH THE CAPT. I ASKED HIM IF HE WOULD RATHER HAVE CERTIFICATED AIRMEN IN EXITS IN PREFERENCE TO OTHERS. THE CAPT AGREED WITH THIS STATEMENT, BUT HE FURTHER INDICATED THAT HE HAD NOT MADE A PERSONAL EVALUATION OF MY FITNESS TO OCCUPY THE EMER SEAT. RATHER, HE SAID THAT HE ACCEPTED THE JUDGEMENT OF OTHERS (CABIN CREW OR RAMP AGENTS). THE SIT WAS TO BE DISTURBING FOR SEVERAL REASONS: 1) THE EXIT ROW XX SEATS WERE OCCUPIED BY 2 ELDERLY WOMEN, A VERY OVERWT MAN OVER 60 AND 2 SLIGHTLY BUILT WOMEN. I QUESTION THE ABILITY OF ANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS TO OPERATE THE EXIT IF REQUIRED. 2) THE COM OF INFO CONCERNING THE SAFE CONDUCT OF THE FLT WAS SOMEWHAT IMPEDED BTWN THE AGENTS, CABIN CREW AND FLC. IN REFLECTING UPON THESE EVENTS, I FEEL THAT I CAN MAKE SEVERAL SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE SAFETY. 1) THAT EXIT ROWS SHOULD BE OCCUPIED BY THOSE WHO HAVE DEMONSTRATED COMPETENCE IN AVIATION OPS. THESE INCLUDE CREWS IN TRANSIT, CERTIFICATED AIRMEN, A&P MECHS, ETC. 2) THAT THE REQUEST TO BRING RELEVANT SAFETY INFO TO THE ATTN OF THE FLC SHOULD NOT BE IMPEDED BY CABIN CREW OR GATE AGENTS. WHENEVER I ACT AS PIC, I ALWAYS REQUEST THOSE FLYING WITH ME TO POINT OUT ANYTHING WHICH APPEARS TO COMPROMISE THE SAFETY OF THE FLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.