Airline passenger refuses to leave exit row after claiming he injured his knee and asked for priority boarding
A passenger on a flight from Pittsburgh to Chicago is facing scrutiny after trying to use pre-boarding privileges under questionable circumstances.
According to a post shared on the United Airlines forum Reddit, the traveler described witnessing a man at the gate claiming he needed special assistance due to a knee injury. The gate agent allowed him to board the flight early.
However, once on the plane, the passenger chose an exit row seat, which had more legroom. But the seat selection violates Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations requiring exit row passengers to be physically able and willing to perform emergency maneuvers. These guidelines were developed to ensure passenger safety during an emergency, as personnel in these platoons are tasked with assisting in operating exit doors and other critical procedures during evacuations.
The FAA clearly states on its website: “When seated in an emergency exit row or exit row, you must be physically able and willing to perform emergency operations. If not, please request another seat.
A flight attendant confronted the passenger about the discrepancy, the post said. The man initially claimed to have injured his knee but later changed his story, insisting he was fully capable of sitting in the exit row. The crew did not budge, enforced FAA regulations and asked the passenger to relocate. Eventually, his wife remained in the exit row seat and he was reassigned to a middle seat at the back of the plane.
The incident was praised by other Reddit users for the crew’s strict adherence to protocols.
“GA is good. [gate agent] one commenter wrote, while another added, “Sounds like the convention earned her wings that day.”
“He got what he deserved!!!” said another post. One reviewer added: “It’s so nice to see instant karma!”
Some users shared similar experiences.
“A very tall old man and his wife tried to board early as disabled but ended up sitting in the exit row,” one poster recalled. “They were told that disabled people couldn’t sit there. Exit row. They said, “Oh, let’s just board the plane with our team. “No. They don’t have exit rows.
Other incidents involved passengers refusing to comply with exit row seating rules, leading to serious chaos.
In May 2024, a Frontier Airlines flight at Charlotte Douglas International Airport was delayed after a woman seated in an exit row refused to acknowledge the safety responsibilities required of that seat. In a viral TikTok posted in May, travel blogger Tia (@travelwithtia23) shared with viewers how an unidentified woman wearing glasses got into an argument with an airline employee. Meanwhile, other passengers begged her to get off the plane for all their sakes.
When asked if she would help in an emergency, she replied: “Oh, I’m not going to save anyone. If something happens, I’m going to save myself.”
She refused to comply with crew instructions, causing all passengers to disembark, and she was eventually escorted off the plane by police.
