Airline passenger refuses to leave exit row after claiming he had knee injury for priority boarding

A passenger on a flight from Pittsburgh to Chicago faced scrutiny after attempting to use preboarding privileges under questionable circumstances.

According to a post shared on United Airlines forum Reddit, the traveler described witnessing a man at the boarding gate claiming he needed special assistance due to a knee injury. The gate agent allowed him to board early.

Once on the plane, however, the passenger chose a seat in the exit row, which has more leg room. But the seat selection violated Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations requiring exit-row passengers to be physically capable and willing to perform emergency actions. The guidelines are in place to ensure the safety of passengers in the event of an emergency, as individuals in these rows are tasked with assisting in the operation of exit doors and other critical procedures during evacuations.

The FAA explicitly states on its website: “You must be physically capable and willing to perform emergency actions when seated in emergency or exit rows. If you are not, ask for another seat.”

According to the post, a flight attendant confronted the passenger about the discrepancy. The man, who initially claimed to have a knee injury, shifted his story, insisting he was perfectly capable of sitting in the exit row. The flight crew didn’t budge, enforcing FAA rules and requiring the passenger to relocate. Ultimately, his wife remained in the exit row seat while he was reassigned to a middle seat in the back of the plane.

The incident drew praise from other Reddit users for the crew’s strict adherence to protocol.

“Good on the GA [gate agent] for enforcing rules,” one commenter wrote, while another added, “Sounds like the GA earned her wings that day.”

“He got what he deserved!!!” said another post. One critic added, “It’s so good to see instant karma!”

Some users shared similar experiences.

“A very tall elderly man with his wife tried to preboard as handicapped but took seats in the exit row,” one poster recalled. “The GA told them that handicapped people could not sit in an exit row. They said, ‘Oh, we’ll just board with our group.’ Nope. No exit row for them.”

Other incidents have involved passengers refusing to comply with exit row seating regulations, leading to significant disruptions.

In May 2024, a Frontier Airlines flight at Charlotte Douglas International Airport was delayed when a woman seated in an exit row refused to acknowledge the safety responsibilities required for the seat. In a viral TikTok posted in May, travel blogger Tia (@travelwithtia23) shared with viewers how an unidentified woman in glasses argued with airline employees. Meanwhile, her fellow passengers were pleading with her to exit the plane for all of their sakes.

When asked if she would assist in an emergency, she responded, “Oh, I’m not going to save anybody. If something happens, I’m going to save myself.”

Her refusal to comply with crew instructions resulted in all passengers being deplaned, and she was eventually escorted off the aircraft by police.