Why airplane exit hatches must be thrown away

Hook: In an emergency, your job isn't just to open a hatch, it is to launch a heavy piece of metal. Explanation: Unlike standard cabin doors on hinges, overwing emergency exits are often heavy plug-style hatches. The passenger seated next to it must yank the handle, pull the heavy hatch inside, and aggressively toss it out onto the wing so it doesn't block the escape route.