FAA to test whether fliers can evacuate safely as people get bigger and seats get smaller

The US FAA will run tests in November to see whether plane evacuations can be conducted safely in an emergency, as lawmakers worry that seat configurations are too tight for modern passengers. The 12-day series of tests, which will involve 720 volunteers, is scheduled to take place at the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute in Oklahoma City. The tests will determine whether planes need new seat dimensions to improve passenger safety -- in line with the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, which requires the agency to set the minimum seat width, length and pitch. "By the end of this year, the FAA plans to conclude evacuation testing to determine what, if any, regulatory changes are necessary to implement the requirement. The testing will take place ... using a cabin simulator that is capable of testing multiple configurations," the FAA said. Rep. Paul Mitchell, a Republican congressman from Michigan, last week expressed his concern about airlines using ever-smaller seats. "It won't exactly surprise you to know I'm not a dainty guy ... there are a lot of not-so-dainty people," Mitchell told a hearing of the subcommittee on aviation. "Seat size, dimensions between seats, exits -- I'm not sure that the models that are being used, to be honest with you, really reflect current air travelers. Certainly not in the United States or North America."<br/>