Passenger claims he was kicked off plane unfairly for sleeping in exit row

A passenger claims he was kicked off a flight unfairly for sleeping on his commute home. Photo / 123rf

A passenger flying with budget carrier JetBlue claims he was unfairly ejected from his flight to Fort Lauderdale, after cabin crew found him asleep in an exit row.

Traveller Tremayne Graves told Fox News he was commuting home from Los Angeles with JetBlue last week, a trip he does regularly, and had taken his seat for the five-hour flight.

After plugging in his earpods and taking a doze, the passenger says he was rudely awoken from his sleep by a member of the cabin crew.

He says he was woken for the flight safety briefing, at which time he was asked if he would have any issues assisting in an emergency. The FAA requires that exit rows are occupied by able-bodied passengers, in case of an emergency.

Grave insisted he said “yes” he would be able to help before rolling over and resuming his nap.

“Next thing I know a flight attendant supervisor wakes me up and tells me I have to get off the plane for not complying with the question,” he told Fox 11 on Monday.

In a video exchange recorded by another passenger, obtained by the TV station, showed Graves and the flight’s purser debating why he should have to disembark.

Having a nap on the commute home was not the same as being unable to help in the event of an emergency, he argued.

After the air crew threatened to call Los Angeles airport police, Graves said he decided not to resist, fearing it would reflect on his passenger record.

Eventually he was rebooked on a much later flight to a different Florida airport, which required him to drive to recover his checked luggage. The delay meant that he did not get home until the following day.

The passenger who recorded the video described the incident as a “power trip”, telling Fox that the interaction was “rude” and disrespectful to Graves.

US civil air regulations require cabin crew to assess whether a passenger sitting in an exit row would be able to assist in an emergency, but must do so in a “a non-discriminatory manner”.

Who can sit in an exit seat on a plane?

According to US civil aviation law, passengers sitting in an exit row must be at least 16 years of age and able to understand instructions from cabin crew and not be visually or audibly impaired.

You cannot sit in an exit row if you are travelling with a child in your care.

If the crew determine “... a passenger assigned to an exit seat would be unable to perform the functions [ required in an emergency] or a passenger requests a non-exit seat, the [crew ] shall expeditiously relocate the passenger to a non-exit seat.”

If the plane is full or is not possible to relocate the passenger, crew are required to look for an able passenger who is willing to swap with the exit row seat.