What is the rule regarding oxygen masks in a seat row?

• A. The number of passengers in any seat row must exceed the number of oxygen masks installed
• B. The number of passengers per row is independent of oxygen masks
• C. The number of passengers in a row must be double the oxygen masks
• D. The number of passengers in any row must not exceed the number of oxygen masks installed

Answer: (D)

The main idea is that every passenger in a row must have access to an oxygen mask. Oxygen masks are provided for each seat, and in an emergency you need enough masks for everyone in that row. So the rule is that the number of passengers in any row must not exceed the number of oxygen masks installed. This ensures there’s a mask for each person and avoids any unmasked passengers during a depressurization event.

The other options don’t fit because they would either leave passengers without masks or ignore the safety linkage between seats and masks. Saying passengers must exceed masks would guarantee shortages. Claiming the passenger count is independent of masks ignores a fundamental safety requirement, and stating the count must be double masks would also fail to guarantee every passenger gets a mask.