FlyersRights Fights in US Appeals Court
Excerpts from Reuters
FlyersRights says U.S. airline seat pitch has shrunk by 3 to 7 inches since 1970 while seat width has decreased by over an inch.
"Currently there are no minimum seat dimensions," said Michael Kirkpatrick, a lawyer for FlyersRights.org. "Maybe they're going to codify the current seat dimensions and status quo for all conditions required for safety, then maybe there'll be a challenge on the merits. But the point here is that there is no regulation now on seat pitch, width or length."
A U.S. appeals court on Monday heard arguments from a flyer advocacy group urging it to order the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to set minimum seat dimensions on passenger airplanes.
In 2018, Congress said FAA within a year had to issue regulations establishing minimum dimensions for passenger seats - including minimums for seat pitch, width, and length - "that are necessary for the safety of passengers."
The Justice Department said the FAA's "examination of existing evidence has not yet demonstrated a safety need for minimum seat dimensions" but the FAA continues to "diligently examine" the issue.
