Can a flight be dispatched with inoperative doors?

Can a flight be dispatched with inoperative doors?

• A. Yes
• B. No
• C. Only if the door is on the right side
• D. Only if all passengers are seated

Answer: (B)

Emergency exits must be fully functional for dispatch. Doors are the primary escape routes in an evacuation, and the aircraft must be able to evacuate all occupants within the required time. If a door is inoperative, there’s no guarantee you can evacuate everyone safely and quickly, so the flight would not be cleared to depart until that door is repaired (or an approved MEL procedure allows it under strict conditions). That safety requirement is why the answer is that you cannot dispatch with inoperative doors. The other options miss the critical point: they don’t ensure the necessary exit capacity and evacuation time.

Emergency exits must be fully functional for dispatch. Doors are the primary escape routes in an evacuation, and the aircraft must be able to evacuate all occupants within the required time. If a door is inoperative, there’s no guarantee you can evacuate everyone safely and quickly, so the flight would not be cleared to depart until that door is repaired (or an approved MEL procedure allows it under strict conditions). That safety requirement is why the answer is that you cannot dispatch with inoperative doors. The other options miss the critical point: they don’t ensure the necessary exit capacity and evacuation time.