The incident, which is understood to have happened early this week, left the man fuming and he took to social media with a photo and caption.<\/p>\n
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cKicked me out of my exit row seat because I have one hand and didn\u2019t think I could assist in case of an emergency,\u201d he said, taking aim at the crew members who asked him to move.<\/p>\n \u201cJetstar<\/a> Australia you have a very rude employee.\u201d<\/p>\n A Jetstar spokesperson said that the crew member was doing their job and that safety was the airline\u2019s top priority.<\/p>\n \u201cSafety is always our top priority, and like other airlines, we clearly outline the additional requirements for customers to sit in an exit row seat,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n \u201cOur crew member was doing her job enforcing Civil Aviation Safety Authority requirements and we will never tolerate abusive behaviour towards our team members whether in person or online.\u201d<\/p>\n The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) defined a passenger sitting in an exit row as being \u201csufficiently able-bodied to meet the functions required to operate an exit and assist with the rapid evacuation of the aircraft e.g. having sufficient mobility, strength, and dexterity in both arms, both hands and both legs.\u201d<\/p>\n The viral post clocked over 6000 comments, some saying the airline should have apologised or \u201cupgrade you to First Class\u201d for the inconvenience.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t you need two hands to open the emergency exit?\u201d one person asked.<\/p>\n \u201cUmm no and your ignorance is showing,\u201d the man replied.<\/p>\n However, despite the ordeal, most sided with the airline.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah mate, to be fair she is following the Aus Aviation Safety Code. I have my infant with me all the time and we also cannot be in an exit row. Chill and try and see it from her perspective,\u201d one person said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s protocol mate. She\u2019s just doing her job and following Emergency Procedure Regulation\u2019s,\u201d said another.<\/p>\n Others tried to reason with the man, saying he would have had to acknowledge the rules and criteria when booking an exit row seat online and that it would take two hands to open up the emergency exit.<\/p>\n As commenters sided with the airline, the man replied in the social media comments with his firm position.<\/p>\n \u201cSo you would have felt more safe with the older gentleman in the exit row that 70 years old, [and] 40 pounds overweight with a knee brace on and could barely walk. You know, since he had 2 hands?!?! Would have loved to see that go down,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n One of the criteria states that if you want to sit in an exit row you must not have an \u201camputated or prosthetic limb, require a mobility aid or be travelling with a service dog\u201d.<\/p>\n Customers are asked to agree they fit the criteria before booking an exit row seat.<\/p>\n However, the man\u2019s wife shot back online saying his missing hand was the result of a birth defect and not an amputation.<\/p>\n The man said he was otherwise young and able-bodied and said that another passenger seated in the exit row who was elderly and overweight with a knee brace had not been asked to move.<\/p>\n 7NEWS contacted the man for comment.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Police announce NSW protest restrictions have lifted <\/p>\n 2 min read<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/e610d1d3430d6b7106945b4dd58a12f8d93342a9-16x9-x0y0w1920h1080.jpg\")
The passenger was left fuming after being asked to move from exit row seat on the plane Credit: Facebook<\/p>\n![\"Jetstar](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/17755fe4028b365a47cf6a675e9f55fb8a8822a3-16x9-x0y0w1920h1080.jpg\")
Jetstar issues a criteria for passengers to adhere to for exit row seating. Credit: Jetstar<\/p>\n