Rhode Island’s congressional delegation recently urged the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to set a reasonable minimum size and pitch for airplane seats.
In recent years, the average width of an airline seat has decreased from 18 inches to 17 inches or less while the average seat pitch in coach has reduced from 35 inches to 31 inches, according to the travel website SeatGuru.
The decrease raises concerns that it might make it more difficult for passengers to quickly exit the aircraft in an emergency. U.S. Department of Transportation regulations require passengers to be able to exit a plane within 90 seconds, but the regulations have not been updated since 1990.
The agency’s inspector general recently instituted an audit to determine whether smaller seat sizes and changes in consumer behavior should cause the agency to reassess its evacuation standards.
In October, Congress passed the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2018. The bill, which became law late last year, contained provisions to improve passengers’ comfort and safety.
The bill proposed a minimum seat width and a minimum distance between rows of seats. The agency has until October to meet the requirements.
The agency has said it is on track to fulfill the requirements.