Obese Pax in emergency

[Palerider957]

Alright, this has been nawing at me for a few weeks now. I thought I'd throw it out to the boards and see what all of you think.

A few weeks ago, just at takeoff, we had a master warning re: lav smoke. We decided to return to the field, called for the fire trucks, the whole bit. (false alarm)

We decided not to do an emergency evacuation, but to just get the pax off orderly and quickly. While trying to assist the pax, this one morbidly obese women (sitting close to the front), s-l-o-w-l-y rose to her feet, then s-t-e-p, by s-t-e-p, lumbered toward the forward door at a PAINFULLY slow pace. I had remembered this women as we had to use the straight back elevator to get her aboard. We were almost a full boat, and everyone else was trapped behind this enourmous women.

I wondered what would have happend had this been a real, and dire emergency. Obviously we have over wing exits, but that's by no means an easy evac. You stand a good chance of getting hurt when trying to get off of the wing and the doors are small, in some situations one of the overwing doors might not be an option (fire). We have the service door, but you have to be all the way forward to use that.

I guess we've all given it a whimsical thought, but this had the potential to be serious. Did this person endanger the well being and safety of all the other pax on board? I'm inclined to think that she did. I've tried to think of alternate solutions, such as the gate agents placing morbidly obese people aft, but we might run into CG issues if there are several. Also, it might be seen as discrimination--placing them at greater risk during an emergency. This women had ZERO chance of getting out of an over wing exit.

I'm not sure if there is an easy answer, but I'm interested in others comments and experiences.

 

[Broke in CVG]

Flew with a morbidly obese Capt. He told me to go out the escape hatch in the cockpit first if we needed to egress as he wouldn't fit.

 

[jarhead]

Palerider957,

You pose a vexing question, and a real potential dilemma. As I thought about the situation, I started to pose some other scenarios to myself, regarding the same type of problem. What about blind pax? How about the paraplegic pax? What other "class" of citizen might pose a similar "problem"? Then I imagined the "ideal" pax load to deal with such a problem. Maybe that would be an airplane full of Olympic athletes. Nope, not good enough.....the weight lifters would be slower to egress than the 400 meter high hurdlers. Unfortunately, if the only pax allowed on 121 aircraft were the 400 meter high hurdlers, there would not be many airlines or pilot's jobs. No good answer, but, I suppose you just have to do the best you can given the huge amount of variables. I guess the best solution, is to never have an emergency that requires rapid evacuation.....but that's as much a pipe dream as having all the Pax being Olympic athletes. All classes of people buy tickets. Sorry....no answer....just rambling incoherent thoughts.

 

[eddie]

In my opinion, in a true emergency you don't have much to worry about. The panic flight instinct will come alive in most passengers and that poor lady will be underfoot. Then all you have to do is help pull her out the door. Though another idea is that she may have some getup and go if her life is in danger.

As far as handicapped pax are concerned, the flight attendant is in charge of them. When I flew the 32, we used to ask a neighbor passenger if they would be willing to help in an emergency.

 

[acaTerry]

If it were a real emergency, she'd probably be trampled. People would rather climb over a hill with tIts than burn......
Let me say a categorical "that's what you get for letting yourself go that far". Not picking on the FEW with true medical conditions, but rather the 98% who are just fat a$$es.
Darn tired of the 125 scooters blocking the aisles at the store, blocking the line at the buffet while trying to see just how many pieces of fried chicken will fit on one plate, etc.

 

[WrightAvia]

Main Entry: whim·si·cal
Pronunciation: 'hwim-zi-k&l, 'wim-
Function: adjective
Etymology: whimsy
Date: 1653
1 : full of, actuated by, or exhibiting whims
2 a : resulting from or characterized by whim or caprice; especially : lightly fanciful b : subject to erratic behavior or unpredictable change
- whim·si·cal·i·ty /"hwim-z&-'ka-l&-tE, "wim-/ noun
- whim·si·cal·ly /'hwim-zi-k(&-)lE, 'wim-/ adverb
- whim·si·cal·ness /-k&l-n&s/ noun

Whimsical thoughts?

 

[acaTerry]

Only Mesa would allow such a fat a$$ on their plane! Thanks guys, keep draggin' us down!
Yes, it's bait....

 

[El Bucho]

The good of the many out weighs the good of one...

no pun intended

 

[WileE]

Actually...

With Mesa (at least the Air Midwest side, all I can testify to) it's semi-official policy, (or at least it's taught to new FO's in ground school) that crippled or disabled passengers who are unable to evacuate on their own are the last priority in an emergency. Once all able bodied passengers are clear and if there is still time, then you try and get the disabled ones to safety.

It may sound cold but it's a case of making sure the majority get out and not killing 18 trying to save one.

Of course in the 1900 by the time the lard butts pry themselves out of the seat they shoe-horned themselves into, everyone else has probably left them behind anyway.