The Emergency Vacating of Aircraft Cabin (EVAC) Act Will it become a sword of Damocles for American airlines? Particularly in their efforts to make their aircraft more profitable... The last two decades have seen American carriers year after year, the space allocated to each passenger is eroded. Particularly in economy class.
Since 2011, average seat spacing - the distance between the back of one seat and the back of the next - has fallen from 89 cm to 78.7 cm.according to a passenger rights group in the United States. Very low-cost airlines such as Spirit Airlines even offer row spacing of 71.1 cm.
The federal authorities have so far been rather accommodating. They have not set a limit on the number of passengers that can be accommodated in a cabin. The only rule is that in the event of an emergency evacuation, passengers must be able to leave the aircraft within 90 seconds.
And that's where the problem lies. Two US Senators, Tammy Duckworth and Tammy Baldwin, point the finger at a series of factors that call into question the configuration of the aircraft. They consider that the current configurations pose a safety problem for passengers.
Biased FAA tests?
Simulated aircraft evacuation tests carried out in 2019 and 2020 by the FAA do not appear to take into account the reality of a flight. The tests were designed to determine the impact of a smaller seat and reduced spacing between seats. But the participants were all adults under the age of 60.
In the real world, the two Senators believe that elderly people, children and disabled people may also be present on a flight. Furthermore, according to CBS News, the tests did not take into account the presence of obstacles such as hand luggageThe flights were conducted in groups of just 60 people. By comparison, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 can seat between 162 and 178 passengers.
Another problem: the average American passenger has grown in weight and height. Health studies have shown that since the late 1980s, the average American man over the age of 20 has gained around 7 kg and his waistline has increased by more than 5 cm. The average American woman over 20 has gained around 7.2 kg and her waistline has increased by more than 7.5 cm.
The bill must therefore ensure that evacuation standards take better account of actual conditions.. And all to ensure optimum safety for everyone.
Rules that could drive up prices
The EVAC Act would thus require the FAA to publish a regulation establishing evacuation standards that take into account various factors. These would include
- passengers of different ages, including young children and the elderly.
- passengers of different heights and weights.
- disabled people.
- travellers who do not speak English.
- Passengers who cannot speak, who do not speak or who are unable to express themselves verbally.
- The presence of hand luggage and personal items.
- the size and inclination of the seats.
- the configuration and location of seats, as well as other obstacles on the way out.
Such a procedure should therefore call into question the spacing between rows. And force airlines to review their cabin configuration. Certainly, with the key, greater passenger comfort. But probably also higher tariffs. Because this law could prove to be an excellent justification for American companies to raise their prices!
