Airline companies must adhere to the Federal Aviation Administration’s detailed safety regulations (approximately 403 pages’ worth of them) before their planes are allowed to transport passengers. But nowhere in those guidelines is there an explicit cap on cabin temperatures during boarding outside an “improbable failure condition”—an omission that continues to result in sweaty, potentially dangerous situations for both travelers and flight attendants. On Tuesday, however, the FAA announced that it’s finally looking into the matter. Or, at least, they’re about to look into it.
The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, passed by Congress last May, directs the FAA to collaborate with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) on a 12-month-long study focused on frequently sweltering cabin conditions. In particular, researchers are charged with investigating “the health and safety impacts of unsafe cabin temperature with respect to passengers and crewmembers during each season in which the study is conducted.” This will include reviewing the existing (and often nebulous) industry organization standards regarding safe air temperatures and humidity levels, then recommending any necessary changes to the US Department of Transportation.
Congress gave the FAA and NASEM two years to figure out a plan, and according to an update on January 7, they’re readying to begin investigations in the near future.
“The FAA has engaged the NASEM and has met to discuss and plan this research effort,” the administration reported this week, adding that they “will finalize an agreement and funding for the project after defining the scope.”
Unfortunately, that’s about where the available details stop. According to the FAA Reauthorization Act’s two-year deadline for planning the study, coupled with the one-year-long study itself, air travelers can expect findings no earlier than sometime in 2027. Once the FAA and NASEM complete their study, the results must be in front of the future Dept. of Transportation Secretary within eight months.
When asked what flyers can expect inside airplane cabins in the meantime, an FAA spokesperson informed Popular Science that such details are beyond their control.
“Aircraft are certified to operate within certain temperatures. Our regulations make sure the aircraft and installed equipment stick to those set standards for cabin air quality and temperature control,” the spokesperson wrote in an email, adding that, “The Department of Transportation regulates passenger comfort.” The Dept. of Transportation did not respond to questions at the time of writing.
In the meantime, at least, there’s a way to help the people most exposed to these problematic conditions. Back in 2018, the multiple transportation unions collaborated to release 2Hot2Cold, an app that allows anyone to record cabin temperatures and when they occurred for regulators to review. Over 4,025 submissions have been received so far, roughly 79 percent of which fell between 80-99 degrees Fahrenheit.
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