Exit row rules explained — who may sit in emergency-exit seats, typical age and ability requirements, bag stowage limits, and when airlines move you without refunding the seat fee.
What are exit row rules?
Exit row rules are the airline and aviation-authority requirements for anyone sitting beside an emergency exit — you must be able and willing to help open the exit and direct passengers in an evacuation.
Typical restrictions (wording varies by airline and regulator): minimum age often 15+ or 16+; no infants or children in the row; ability to understand crew instructions in the working language; sufficient mobility and strength to operate the exit; not requiring a seatbelt extension that blocks the exit path; willingness to assist. Crew can reseat you at the gate or after boarding if you do not meet the brief — paid seat fees are not always refunded automatically, so ask. the carrier’s current exit-row policy.
Bags must usually fit fully under the seat or go overhead for taxi, take-off and landing — nothing in the exit path. Some exit rows have limited recline. Extra pitch is the reward for accepting safety duties, not a free lounge.
Seat strategy overall: how to pick the best airplane seat. Compare with bulkhead trade-offs. Basic brands may block exit-row purchase — basic economy.
What happens if you cannot meet exit-row duties on the day?
Crew will move you to another seat if one exists; you must not argue for the exit row. Ask about a seat-fee refund or voucher under the airline’s policy if you paid extra.
Example: you buy an exit-row seat for a night flight, then arrive with a freshly injured shoulder. You tell the gate agent before boarding; they reassign you. Keeping a personal item tiny enough for strict under-seat rules still helps in any row.
Travelling with older children who do not meet the age cut-off means you cannot sit together in the exit row — book a standard extra-legroom row instead. Cabin brand context: basic vs economy vs premium.