FAA Under Pressure To Reevaluate Airplane Seat Size, Safety Standards

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is under new pressure to examine the size and safety of airplane seats. Airlines have been shrinking seats for years, leading Congress to order the FAA in 2018 to set and test new standards to ensure passengers can evacuate in 90 seconds or less. Reports that the initial testing was widely criticized have now prompted Congress to demand a do-over.

There were 379 people on board Japan Airlines Flight 516 when it collided with another plane on a Tokyo runway in January. From the moment of impact, it was 18 minutes before everyone was off the Airbus A350. In theory, that evacuation should have happened in 90 seconds.

"Well, what it really tells us is the current certification standards really are not applicable. They don't replicate how people get out of an airplane during an emergency," said Robert Sumwalt.

Now lawmakers want to know if real-world conditions like crowded cabins and seat size slow evacuations.

According to Consumer Reports and CBS News, airplane seat width has already decreased by as much as four inches over the last 30 years, to as little as 16 inches wide. The seat pitch—the distance between rows—has shrunk from about 35 inches to 31 inches, and in some cases as little as 28 inches, allowing airlines to add more seats.

Back in 2019, in a simulated cabin that could be filled with smoke and plunged into darkness, the FAA tested how close is too close when it comes to getting out of airline seats in an emergency. The volunteer "passengers" in the simulated evacuations had to deal with varying seat sizes. They did not have to contend with real-life obstacles like smoke, darkness, or even luggage, and they were in groups of 60, nowhere near a full plane load.

At the time, FAA spokesperson Stacey Zinke-McKee said, "We are going to try to minimize the variables to the ones that are important for this particular test."

The agency found that "seat size and spacing did not adversely affect the success of emergency evacuations." However, because all participants were able-bodied adults under 60, then-FAA Administrator Steve Dickson acknowledged the results were "useful" but "not necessarily definitive."

"When you saw how they did this testing the first time, what went through your mind?" a reporter asked.

"I was incredulous," responded Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois). "Is this really what they did? I thought it was a joke."

Congress has now given the FAA one year to redo that testing. Senator Tammy Duckworth, who lost both legs while serving in Iraq, authored legislation requiring the FAA to factor in how real-life conditions, including children, seniors, and the disabled, as well as the presence of carry-on bags, impact evacuation times.

"How confident are you that you could get out of the airplane in 90 seconds if you had to?" asked KVC.

"Oh, not at all confident," Duckworth responded. "I often fly where I'm not wearing both my artificial legs."

"And it's an open question if that 90 seconds is even realistic anymore," KVC commented.

"I don't think it's realistic anymore," said Duckworth. "Conduct a real test and let's see what the realistic standard is."

Senator Duckworth stresses the legislation's focus is safety, not necessarily the more subjective category of comfort.

The FAA said in a statement, "We look forward to implementing all provisions, including how to include all perspectives of the flying public as we continue to ensure planes can be evacuated safely."