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:
- A D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling requires the FAA to review a petition from Flyers Rights and provide concrete evidence that current shrinking airline seat sizes are safe for emergency evacuations.
- The court found the FAA's prior safety justifications "vaporous" but upheld the agency's discretion regarding when to address passenger health issues like blood clots, deeming minor discomforts non-life-threatening.
- Separately, a proposed Senate FAA reauthorization bill includes an amendment that would mandate the FAA to establish minimum seat sizes and distances between rows for passenger safety and health.
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