Sen. Schumer demands speedy completion of FAA legroom study
Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer is pushing the FAA to speed up its safety investigation into airline legroom issues.
The FAA’s original October deadline passed without its completion and Schumer is demanding it wrap up its study as soon as possible.
The Senate Minority Leader has led a call for legislation for mandatory minimum seat pitch and width for years and has accused the agency of siding with the airline industry despite potential safety issues.
In a letter to new FAA administrator Steve Dickson Schumer wrote: "The FAA must do all that it humanly can to protect the flying public. I respectfully request that the agency’s testing of evacuation procedures be completed as swiftly as possible in order to issue seat size regulations."
FAA spokesman Jim Peters said the study is well advanced and expects to have it completed by the end of the year.
"The FAA is conducting the ongoing seat width and distance research. More than 700 participants are being recruited from the Oklahoma City area and would represent men and women ages 18 to 60. Each age grouping (by decade) will be equitably represented," the agency said in a statement.
"The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 requires the agency to issue regulations to establish minimum dimensions for airplane seat width, length, and pitch that are necessary for the safety of passengers."
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