Request for Comments in Minimum Seat Dimensions Necessary for Safety of Air Passengers (Emergency Evacuation)
What is happening?
The FAA will seek public comment on the minimum seat dimensions necessary for airline passenger safety. The 90-day public comment period will open when the document is published in the Federal Register. Stay tuned to this page and our social media feeds for more information on when the comment period opens.
UPDATE: The document was published to the Federal Register and comment period opened on August 3, 2022. Written comments must be received on or before November 1, 2022.
Why is this important?
FAA regulations require that all transport category airplanes be able to conduct a rapid evacuation in case of fire. Other FAA evacuation requirements address real-world conditions, landing gear collapse, and exit failure, among others.
As part of its responses to Congressional mandates to further examine whether additional regulations may be necessary to ensure safe evacuation, the FAA released an aircraft cabin evacuation study in March 2022, which includes the results of numerous simulated emergency evacuations and recommendations.
How to Get Involved
The FAA encourages commenters to review the cabin evacuations study, and provide information about the minimum dimensions of passenger seats that are necessary for safety. Comments must be submitted in writing on or before the 90-day deadline. Upon publication, the document may be found on the Federal Register’s website at www.federalregister.gov and comments can be submitted in the docket at www.regulations.gov.
Additional Information
In 2018, Congress directed the FAA to, after notice and comment, issue such rules for minimum dimensions for passenger seats that are necessary for passenger safety. The FAA conducted simulated emergency evacuations, the results of which are in a publicly available report.
The Deputy Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety signed this request for comments on July 29, 2022. Please be advised that the published document may contain minor changes due to formatting and editorial requirements, and the docket will not go live until publication. Upon publication, the document may be found on the Federal Register’s website at www.federalregister.gov and parties may submit comments in the docket at www.regulations.gov.