FAA will allow airlines to shrink seat space

If you’re taller than 5' 9", you probably appreciate the added legroom of a bulkhead seat. But those extra inches of roominess will likely be eliminated on a new generation of aircraft. Why? Here’s what happened: Since 1988, the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) safety regulations have required an additional two to three inches of room in bulkhead seats to protect tall passengers from serious head injury if an incident forces them forward. Recently, however, the FAA reinterpreted those rules, allowing reduced bulkhead space on new aircraft. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), whose members include FAA aircraft certification engineers, formally opposed the change.