Air Rage on Southwest

[nycbusdriver]

Cable news reporting that a SWA flight from LAX to SFO had to return to LAX after a man started choking the woman in the seat in front of him when she reclined her seat.  Procedurally, it's not surprising that the captain declared an emergency and landed back in LAX.  
 
While we wait for the rest of the story, hopefully with some facts, I began to wonder when the FAA will step in and issue regulations to ameliorate these seat-recline disputes.
 
If the airlines insist on using such minimal pitch and giving no one taller than 68" any leg room at all, why not require seats at that pitch to have no recline capability?  The FAA should define the amount of legroom that would allow some recline.  The more legroom, the greater recline allowed.  Seems simple to me, but the money-grubbing airlines would squeal like stuck pigs over the idea.  But the situation is quickly escalating to a safety of flight issue and the FAA should really act.
 
Of course, being lackeys of the airlines, the FAA certainly won't do a thing.

 

[jimntx]

Neat idea!  However, is too logical for the airline industry.

 

[xUT]

Considering the average North American male has a shoulder width of 19", WTF with seat width of 17"?
 

 

[jimntx]

Yeah, but if that "average" North American male would lose the 50+-  extra pounds of fat he is so proudly wearing would he still have 19" shoulders or have a butt that spreads halfway over onto the seat next to him.  I doubt it.

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

Yeah, but if that "average" North American male would lose the 50+-  extra pounds of fat he is so proudly wearing would he still have 19" shoulders or have a butt that spreads halfway over onto the seat next to him.  I doubt it.

Rant on...

Stop talking about our middle school, McDonald's "value meal" fed kids like that.

It is our God given right to raise obese kids and have them get medicaid because we don't want no damn socialist liberal telling us what we can eat.

Rant off...

I am a fairly big guy (6' 185) with shoulders that do not fit in those seats. I have no problem with the seat a$$ width, but the shoulder thing gets me every time. I always ask for aisle. Of course, I get the occasional cart to the elbow or shoulder, but it is better than playing armrest wars.