[cprokop]

I was on a flight from Phoenix to San Antonio on American Airlines flight 626 on Friday September 20th.

I was seated in the exit row, but the situation was far from ideal due to being seated next to a severely overweight passenger. This individual took up a significant portion of my seat, making my flight extremely uncomfortable. More importantly, I am gravely concerned about the safety implications of this seating arrangement.

In my opinion, the individual was not physically able to fulfill the responsibilities required in the event of an emergency. The flight attendant informed me that the gate agent should have denied this person an exit row seat due to the safety risk posed to all passengers. I immediately reported my concerns, yet American Airlines has merely issued a brief apology, with no compensation or acknowledgment of the severity of the safety issue.

Given the serious nature of this matter, I would expect more than a simple apology. The exit row is designated for passengers who can assist during an emergency, and in this case, that requirement was clearly not met. I believe it is crucial that your company enforce seating policies more rigorously, especially when it pertains to the safety of all passengers on board.