B737-800
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Total 25000
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General Release Refused / Aircraft Not Accepted
Aircraft; Human Factors
During preflight on Flight XXXX I was notified by the flight attendants that I needed to talk to the maintenance guy on board about a problem with the overwing emergency exit row seats. The maintenance guy showed me that all of the emergency exit row seats tray tables folded down and blocked the exit rows on this [new] interior. This is in direct violation of FAA directives of nothing blocking the emergency exits. I entered it into the maintenance log and was assigned another aircraft after a long debate with the flight office.Outsourced Maintenance installed the wrong seats at the overwing emergency exit rows.Replace seats at emergency exit rows with proper seats on all [new] interiors. Until then aircraft should be removed from service.
B737 Captain reported that incorrect seat type with fold down tray tables were installed at overwing exit row in violation of FAR.