Continental charges for extra room in exit row seats

I work woith a certain British Airline that’s started doing this, and I feel the whole idea whiffs a bit. When you pay, you state you are able to assist. If you turn up at the airport a sweating hulk with oxygen tanks strapped to your wheelchair, no, you don’t get a refund and you sit where you’re told.

I only deal with CO 757s. Row 7 and 16 are certainly worth paying a few $$ more for, but I wonder if they’ll admit row exit row 15 has the extra legroom but non reclining seats ?

Seems a bit shady to charge for something that’s a requirement to have in the first place, will airlines be charging for having a blast on the oxygen masks next ?

This is just another way of getting more money from a passenger.

Of course it is, but it’s optional so I don’t see how it’s that ridiculous. If no-one books emergency exit rows and you’re asked to sit there it’s not like you’re going to be charged extra for it, and as you have the option to book an emergency exit row or not complaining about it doesn’t really make much sense. If you don’t want to pay more, simply book a normal seat! In the current economic climate I don’t think any of us should be calling something that’s optional and generates more income for airlines ridiculous.

Paul

I think its ridiculous,and have had a few arguments with Wizzair flight attendents about this.
What if no one pays for these seats and the flight is full? At some point during check-in these seats will be allocated to passengers,are they then going to ask for money from those sitting there when the airlines own staff have given them the seats? Do they keep those seats empty and put the passengers on another flight. and if the flight is not full and nobody buys the exit seats what difference does it make to the airline if a passenger sits on the exit or sits elsewhere and leaves the exit empty.This is just another way of getting more money from a passenger.

There is almost a case for charging passengers who are expected to assist in an evacuation less for their seats, not more.
As for the checks, it would only be right to refund passengers chucked out of the exit rows if they were deemed unsuitable. It would be impossibel to check at reservation time if a ticket was purchased on the internet.

Three very good questions.

I do not want to be in a situation where I need to get out of and exit in a hurry and the person occupying the seat beside it, and therefore for blocking the exit, is unable to open it.

AF does the same for one year or so.
It makes me wonder … Since the passengers seating on the exit rows are supposed to be able to help the other pax in case of an emergency evacuation , do the airlines charging more check if the pax is able to assist the other pax?
What’s happen if they are not? Do they get their money back?