WPRO News and The Associated Press
Members of Rhode Island’s congressional delegation are calling on the Federal Aviation Administration to make air travel more comfortable by setting a reasonable minimum size and pitch for airplane seats.
Three Democrats – Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, and Reps. Jim Langevin, and David Cicilline – spoke at a Monday news conference at T.F. Green Airport.
They say they picked the height of the busy summer travel season to highlight the problem.
Whitehouse said he pushed for a provision signed into law last fall that directed the FAA to propose a minimum seat width and minimum distance between rows of seats. The FAA must meet the law’s requirement by October.
The lawmakers said less room between seats can also make it more difficult for passengers to quickly exit an airplane, making it a safety issue as well as a passenger comfort issue.
