Able bodied passenger

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An able bodied passenger (commonly called an ABP) is a passenger on an aircraft that is typically travelling alone or as a couple, has no children or other relatives travelling with them, is fit and healthy and speaks the language used by the flight attendants.

[edit] Planned crash landing

In a situation where there is enough time for the flight attendants to briefs and prepare the passengers for a crash landing, they will also select and individually brief a specified number of ABP's each, this being pre-defined in their operations manual and is generally two ABP's for each door and a third ABP for a ditching scenario where a life raft will be launched out the exit.

The flight attendant will typically take their ABP(s) to their jumpseat and explain how the harness is used so that should the attendant be incapacitated in the crash, they can be removed from the jumpseat and allow the exit to be open and clear. They will then explain the operation of the door ("I will check for hazards out this window", I will rotate this handle in the direction of the arrow") and what sort of commands they will be shouting, what type of assistance they expect from the ABP(s) (holding passengers back while the slide inflates, helping them off the bottom of the slide) and what will happen if the door cannot be used do to malfunction or external hazards.

[edit] Unplanned crash landing

Should an emergency happen suddenly or there is simply not enough time to brief ABPs, flight attendants will have already made a mental note of possible ABPs during boarding and the safety demonstration. These people should ideally be seated at or very near to the attendants own exit, and upon reaching the door to exit the aircraft, will be instructed to wait at the bottom of the evacuation slide and help people off and send them away.