WATCHDOG: EVACUATION RULES FROM FAA NEED UPDATING

Report says agency hasn’t gathered enough data to improve rules

The Federal Aviation Administration hasn’t updated standards for emergency airliner evacuations in nearly two decades, a period when travelers have increasingly had to deal with tighter aircraft seats, more carry-on bags and support animals, a government watchdog says.

The Transportation Department’s Inspector General said in an audit report released Friday that the FAA hasn’t done enough research to evaluate the new risks. In addition, it says the FAA largely only updates standards after accidents and hasn’t revised them since a 1991 accident.

“This lack of data inhibits FAA’S ability to determine how to improve evacuation regulations and protect passenger safety in emergencies,” the report said.

It’s also hampering the FAA’S response to 2018 mandates by Congress that the agency evaluate evacuation procedures and set minimums for seat sizes and the distance between rows, the report said.

The FAA also doesn’t account for smoke in emergencies, or the use of personal electronic devices, the report concluded.

The Inspector General recommended that the FAA regularly collect and analyze emergency evacuation data to find out if standards need to be changed. The agency also should make sure that data used in airplane manufacturers’ evacuation demonstrations is up to date.

The FAA agreed with both of the Inspector General’s recommendations, the audit report said.

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