FlyersRights Issues Statement to Pete Buttigieg

Dear Mr. Secretary,

FlyersRights.org, along with other airline passenger and consumer organizations, met with you eight weeks ago to discuss various urgent actions that DOT must take to protect consumers.

At this meeting, FlyersRights.org requested that you take the following actions with respect to the Congressional mandate to establish minimum seat standards and evaluate the emergency evacuation standards:

1. Order the FAA to commence the rulemaking process, to be completed by July 2022.
2. Use the DOT’s emergency authority to place a moratorium on further shrinkage of seat size and passenger space while rulemaking is pending.
3. Appoint an advisory committee composed of outside experts and all relevant stakeholders to study and advise the FAA on minimum seat and passenger space standards, to be completed in 180 days.
4. Release the May 2020 report of the FAA Emergency Evacuation Advisory Rulemaking Committee.
5. Order the FAA to conduct realistic emergency evacuation testing using current aircraft seating, conditions, and passenger demographics with outside experts and stakeholder observers to be completed within 75 days.
6. Require the FAA to consider health and human rights issues in setting seat and passenger space standards.

DOT and FAA action will be two years overdue in early October 2021. In the 2018 FAA Reauthorization Act, Congress established an October 5th, 2019 deadline for minimum seat standards and an emergency evacuation report. We are not aware of any concrete actions taken on these two mandates. We strongly suggest the DOT and FAA take action before this two year mark passes.

Sincerely,

Paul Hudson

President, FlyersRights.org

Member, FAA Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (1993-present)