Travel News

Lords committee 'concerned' over flight safety

A House of Lords committee has released a report expressing concern over issues relating to the safety of passengers onboard flights.

One matter brought up by the Science and Technology Committee was the regulatory minimum distance between aeroplane seats, which currently stands at 26 inches.

The group said that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) should increase the required distance to 28 inches, a provision already supplied by most airlines, for safety reasons.

"We are very concerned that the CAA has failed to follow up the recommendations of its own research and increase the regulatory minimum distance between seats to above 28 inches," said committee member Lord Patel.

"In the event of an emergency the current minimum of 26 inches would not allow many passengers to adopt the recommended brace position."

Another concern raised, which highlighted the importance of travel insurance, regarded the inadequacy of rest periods being given to airline pilots.

The committee said it heard evidence from unions suggesting that pilot fatigue could be putting passengers' lives at risk.