The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Friday that the FAA must acknowledge “the case of the incredible shrinking airline seat.” That’s how Circuit Judge Patricia Millett referred to the obvious state of uncomfortable commercial airline travel in response to a lawsuit filed by the passenger advocacy group Flyers Rights earlier this year.
Judge Orders FAA to Review the ‘Incredible Shrinking Airline Seat’
Key Takeaways:
- The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals mandated the FAA to review a petition from Flyers Rights regarding shrinking airline seat sizes and to provide concrete evidence that current seat dimensions are safe for emergency evacuations, rejecting the agency's previous vague claims.
- The court ruled that the FAA does not currently have to regulate passenger health concerns like blood clots or general discomfort related to seat size, deeming this within the agency's discretion and some discomforts as non-life-threatening.
- Separately, a proposed amendment to the Senate's FAA reauthorization bill aims to establish minimum seat size and distance between rows to protect passenger safety and health.
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