On a recent Delta flight from New York, JFK to San Juan, Puerto Rico, my family and I sat in the exit row. There were two rows of exit rows on the plane. An older couple sat in front of us. Their grown children and grandchildren sat in the row behind us.
The flight attendant came up to us and asked if we could help passengers in case of an emergency. We said, no problem. He then asked the couple. The woman said, “Absolutely not, I’m not going to help anyone.”
The Delta agent looked a little baffled. “I have to ask again, would you help your fellow passengers in case of an emergency,” he said.
“NO,” she answered.
“Then I’m going to have to move you,” he said. He looked around. He didn’t know what to do.
“I’m going to ask you again,” he said, “And this time, please say yes so that we can take off. Will you help other passengers in case there is an emergency?”
She mumbled. “What, I didn’t hear you. Just say Yes,”he told her. I guess she said Yes and he walked away shaking his head.
We were feeling just as shocked. I just can’t believe that he didn’t force her to move.
