Passenger Handed Plane Ticket—No One Prepared for Response to Next Question

A video capturing a Frontier Airlines passenger declining to sit in an emergency exit row has gone viral on TikTok.

The clip was shared by Jayco Bank (@jaycobank), a 21-year-old from Arizona working in insurance sales who lives in Denver, Colorado. The clip has amassed 7.2 million views since it was posted on September 8.

Text overlaid on the video reads: “Girl refuses to sit in emergency seat on plane,” while the caption says: “She said no I’m not.”

In the video, a gate agent is heard telling the passenger, “You’re in the emergency row. Are you able and willing to assist in the case of an emergency?” The woman immediately replies: “No.” After the worker repeats the question, she again responds: “No.”

Later, pointing to his computer screen, the worker reminds her, “But you’re in an emergency row,” prompting the passenger to repeat: “No, no.” The employee then directs her to change her seat, later remarking: “I’ve never heard anybody say no—was a first.”

The poster told Newsweek the scene unfolded at Denver International Airport while he was boarding a flight to Miami, Florida.

“She refused to sit in the seat. She was required to change her seat and go back in the line,” the poster said. “She didn’t specify why [she wouldn’t sit in the emergency seat], just said she’s [on] active military duty and they did end up finding someone who could.”

Passengers seated in exit rows play a crucial role in emergencies and must be capable and willing to help, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Airlines are required to verify passengers’ suitability through multiple steps, beginning with ticket purchase and continuing through boarding.

The FAA explains that flight attendants perform both verbal and visual assessments. A casual conversation helps determine if the passenger understands and is willing to perform exit duties, while visual cues—such as difficulty walking down the aisle or lifting bags overhead—may signal a need to reassign a seat.

The agency notes that attendants are instructed to ask passengers to request reseating if they are unable or unwilling to carry out responsibilities, which can include “assessing conditions outside the exit, opening or securing an exit, locating and operating an inflation slide lanyard, or performing other duties described on the safety information card.”

Once the passenger communicates their unwillingness, attendants inform the lead flight attendant or pilot in command, who can determine whether reseating is necessary. “Assessment can result in a determination that a passenger should be reseated in a non-exit seat,” the FAA states.

‘Yikes’

The short clip has generated widespread attention online, with many viewers commenting on the unusual moment of a traveler openly refusing the exit row responsibility.

User fynneaus said: “if she didn’t put herself there, it’s ok to say no. If she put herself there, then…yikes.”

Awesome Adam wrote: “As a passenger of an airplane why am I having to aid anyone in an emergency. I would say no as well.”

User anjoczsat2m agreed, saying: “lol I heard her. Not working for free.”

User $toic noted: “She said no 3x. The first time should have been okay. She’s entitled to say no.”

“She’s allowed to say no, why does she have to take on such responsibility,” wrote piscescosha.

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