The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said that it won’t regulate seat space or legroom in commercial airliners. There’s been concern among passengers in recent years regarding the ever-shrinking seat space aboard commercial airliners. To fit more passengers, many airlines have modified their cabin design to feature less seat space and legroom. It’s been such a concern, in fact, that a judge forced the FAA to consider new regulations for seat space and legroom.
Last year, Flyer Rights filed a lawsuit in federal court over airlines’ ever-shrinking seats. According to the passenger advocacy group, small seat spaces place passengers at risk for musculoskeletal disorders, vein disease and other health problems. The federal judge overseeing the case voted in Flyer Rights’s favor, thereby forcing the FAA to consider new regulations for the commercial aviation industry.
But it appears that the FAA won’t regulate seat space and legroom. Earlier this month, the FAA announced that ever-shrinking seats isn’t a problem that it should handle. In a carefully written statement, the FAA explained that the issue of inadequate seat space is something that should be handled between the airlines and their passengers.
“The FAA has no evidence that a typical passenger, even a larger one, will take more than a couple of seconds to get out of his or her seat,” said the FAA’s Dorenda Baker. She added that “the FAA does not expect seat pitch to drop so significantly from current levels that it meaningfully affects evacuation speed.”
Of course, the FAA still has regulations that airlines must comply with. Among other things, every passengers tray table must be upright and locked during takeoff and landing. Furthermore, passengers’ carry-on luggage must be placed in the stowaway compartment in the seat in front of them. These regulations are designed specifically to protect passengers and flight crews from injury. Creating new regulations for seat space and legroom probably won’t have these same benefits. While inadequate space may cause problems for some passengers, it’s just not a priority for the FAA at this time.
The bottom line is that you shouldn’t expect airliners to make any significant changes to their cabin layout or seat space in the near future. Unless the FAA abruptly changes its decision, it won’t regulate seat space or legroom. If you’re planning to fly in the near future and are worried about lack of legroom, check out this Business Insider article for a breakdown of the top airlines with the most legroom.
