Elderly Man Did Not Meet Scoot’s Requirements Of Sitting At Emergency Exit Row Seats
When it comes to flying, there’s an age-old debate on choosing where to sit – by the aisle, or window?
For one elderly man, it’s apparently the window. But not just any window seat — he wanted one that’s nearest to the emergency exit (EMEX) of a Scoot flight he was on.
Although flight attendants requested him to return to his original seat, he wanted to sit there so badly that he caused a scene.
As a result, the long-haul flight from Athens to Singapore that he was on, ended with him being arrested.
Moved to emergency exit seats during last hour of Scoot flight
At roughly 2am on Monday (16 Sep), an elderly man walked to the EMEX row seats on a Scoot flight from Athens that was due to land in Singapore about an hour later.
When approached by the cabin crew, he repeatedly refused to return to his seat, as described by a Scoot media relations representative.
Speaking in response to a query by MS News, the representative confirmed the incident, saying,
The elderly customer refused to comply with crew instructions including the Captain’s, and was being unruly.
The representative added that auxiliary police were called in to assist, and they came on board the flight promptly upon its arrival.
Reminder to follow flight rules
The same Scoot representative told MS News that the elderly man’s request to be seated at the EMEX seats was turned down as he didn’t meet the necessary requirements.
These requirements, as we learnt, are “subject to flight safety guidelines of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore.”
For safety purposes, passengers who want to occupy EMEX row seats have to be:
- At least 15 years old
- Fully able-bodied
- In good health at the time of check-in, boarding, and during flight
- Capable of opening the emergency doors if necessary
As such, passengers who do not meet the requirements will be re-seated before or during the flight.
It’s important that passengers follow cabin crew’s instructions during flights, otherwise you may be jeopardising the safety of the aircraft or other passengers, according to the Scoot representative.
For the full list of safety guidelines, please refer to Scoot’s website.
Treat others the way you want to be treated
This incident happened in the wee hours of the morning and we’re sure that both the staff and passengers of the flight would have been tired.
It is important to follow the instructions of the cabin crew, especially since they are looking out for overall safety.
Lastly, treat all service staff with respect and be considerate of those around you as well. Let’s all work together to make flying a better experience for everyone.
Featured image from Live And Let’s Fly.
