Q&A with the Seat Expert

Singapore Airlines publishes a list of requirements on its Web site that a passenger must meet to be assigned a Preferred Seat. Among the listed requirements is that a passenger not be “under the influence of any intoxicating substance at check-in, boarding, and during the flight.”

But we’re guessing you already knew that, and that’s why you’ve written us.

Gate and cabin crews for all airlines are provided wide latitude when deciding who does and does not meet the requirements for sitting in an exit row. It is very rare indeed, however, for a passenger to be refused an alcoholic beverage solely because he/she were seated in an exit row (and probably even rarer for passengers who have paid extra for the privilege, though we have no quantifiable data on that). If you display signs of intoxication during the flight, however, you could be refused additional beverages, or even asked to change seats.

So long as you are drinking and acting responsibly, you need not fear being refused an alcoholic beverage in your Preferred Seat.