A flight attendant working a B757-200 flight expressed concern that passengers incapable of performi...

Narrative:

Boarding was on time. The stairs were at 2L and the first two passengers needed help getting up the stairs. They were assigned exit row with needing assistance. I questioned them once they started getting on board and found out that the female passenger had a herniated disc and back injury. I then had another flight attendant change their seat as she would not be able to sit in the exit row. I questioned the passenger agent when he came on board before the door closed. I asked why this keeps happening and who is responsible for placing such passengers in the exit row? He said it was the agents outside the terminal at the front of the airport. This has happened on a continuous basis out of this airport. [Customer service personnel] all should be briefed that this is not acceptable. The integrity of the exit row is compromised by the lack of concern from the agent. Communication seems to be lacking at this station. The agents who are assigning the people are not making the proper decisions with the passengers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A Flight Attendant working a B757-200 flight expressed concern that passengers incapable of performing evacuation assistance duties were being assigned seats in exit rows.

Narrative: Boarding was on time. The stairs were at 2L and the first two passengers needed help getting up the stairs. They were assigned exit row with needing assistance. I questioned them once they started getting on board and found out that the female passenger had a herniated disc and back injury. I then had another flight attendant change their seat as she would not be able to sit in the exit row. I questioned the passenger agent when he came on board before the door closed. I asked why this keeps happening and who is responsible for placing such passengers in the exit row? He said it was the agents outside the terminal at the front of the airport. This has happened on a continuous basis out of this airport. [Customer Service personnel] all should be briefed that this is not acceptable. The integrity of the exit row is compromised by the lack of concern from the agent. Communication seems to be lacking at this station. The agents who are assigning the people are not making the proper decisions with the passengers.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Attributes
ACN	880996
Time
Date	201003
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Flight Attendant (On Duty)
Qualification	Flight Attendant Current
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Procedural FAR

A flight attendant working a B757-200 flight expressed concern that passengers incapable of performing evacuation assistance duties were being assigned seats in exit rows.