Redo of federal plane evacuation tests sought as passengers squeeze into smaller spaces

By DAVID KOENIG
AP Airlines Writer

Congress is looking into just how quickly airline passengers can evacuate a plane during an emergency. Some lawmakers aren’t sure modern planes can be evacuated in 90 seconds, as federal rules require. Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois introduced legislation Wednesday to set standards for Federal Aviation Administration tests on how quickly passengers can escape a plane during an emergency. She says FAA tests a few years ago were unrealistic because they only used able-bodied adults under 60 — no children, no seniors and nobody with disabilities took part.