US lawmakers battle shrinking plane seats, bringing fresh hope for passengers

Tightly-packed plane passengers might have new hope for relief this week after lawmakers in the US have added their voices to the backlash against stingy airline seating.

Three members of Rhode Island's congressional delegation called for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to set “a minimum standard for airplane seat size and spacing” following fears that ever-smaller seats are impacting more than comfort.

In 2018 legislation was passed in the US that requires the FAA to examine how quickly people can safely evacuate different airplane configurations and to set a minimum pitch (the gap between plane seats) within a year.

However, the body has yet to announce any recommendations, despite the deadline looming this October.

"Less room between seats can make it more difficult for passengers to quickly exit the aircraft," said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Representatives Jim Langevin and David Cicilline, drawing attention to the steady decline in seat pitch since the 1970s.

During the “golden age” of flying, passengers enjoyed a luxurious pitch of 34 to 36 inches as standard. Over the past few decades that has shrunk to as little as 28 inches on some low-cost carriers, calling into question whether it is still possible to evacuate a plane within the legally required 90 seconds as passengers struggle to exit more tightly-packed seats.

An ongoing struggle

The FAA has resisted attempts to set minimum requirements for seat sizing and pitch over the years. Rhode Island’s lawmakers are the most recent to add their voices to those opposed to shrinking seats, but this isn’t the first time concerns have been raised over the safety of cramped seating.

FlyersRights.org, the main passenger advocacy group in the US, warned that the trend posed a health and safety risk in 2018. Paul Hudson, the organisation’s president, described the proportion of people unable to get into their seats as “substantial”.

A legal bid to place a lower limit on the size of an airline seat was also proposed by Senator Chuck Schumer in 2016 but was rejected, as was a similar proposition by Steve Cohen, a Tennessee congressman, that same year.

A race to the bottom?

Legroom may feel tight now, but experts fear the worst is yet to come. According to aviation researcher Landrum & Brown, a broader push is underway to cram more people into aircrafts that are flying the world's most popular routes.

This is particularly apparent in Asia where 100 million people fly for the first time every year. There, the approach of low-cost carriers is to pack more passengers into cabins as they serve a growing middle class that cares most about price.

Last month, Cebu Air, the Philippines’ largest budget carrier, announced it was moving kitchens and bathrooms on some of its new A330neos to create economy sections that can squeeze in a whopping 460 seats. This will bump up the airline’s current maximum by 20, and sail over manufacturer Airbus’s recommended number for comfort by a full 160.

Outside Asia, consumers are no stranger to vanishing legroom either. The pitch standard for long-haul carriers is down to 30 to 31 inches, while 29-30 inches is the new norm for short-haul.

Thomas Cook (UK), Wizz Air (Hungary), Iberia (Spain) and Spirit (US), however, are all firm members of the 28 club, with a possible further drop to 27-inches looming on the horizon.

Airline interiors manufacturer Zodiac Aerospace has pitched concept cabins with 27 inches of pitch, something it claims ultra slimline seats have made possible. While no airline has dared to take the plunge yet, it seems only a matter of time.

It’s not just length that’s under siege, with seat width also losing ground. In 1985, according to the Consumers Union, America’s big four airlines all offered 19 inches or more of width.

That number has now shrunk to 17, with United going as low as 16.

The prospects may seem knee-jarringly dim, but it’s not all bad. The FAA will be required to set minimum standards by October this year, and though expectations are for the lowest current pitch of 28 to be used – in order to prevent working planes needing reworking – this would still prevent any further drops.

It’s not all about inches either. A new staggered seating design, the S1, has recently been approved by the FAA.

By manufactuers putting the middle airline seat several inches lower than, and further back from, the aisle and window seats, passengers are guaranteed more comfort, without compromising the plane’s capacity.

Changes to the FAA’s regulations may only affect US airlines, but there’s hope that the success of US lawmakers might inspire a similar movement in Europe, keeping the dreaded 27 inches at bay.