PAX RPT ON SAFETY CONCERNS OF HAVING VIABLE SPACE TO REMOVE FLOATABLE SEAT CUSHIONS FOR WATER LNDG. CABIN AIR CONCERNS.

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MS X OF THE NTSB IN WASHINGTON BELIEVES I HAVE AN ACTIONABLE AIRLINE SAFETY COMPLAINT. AS FAR AS SHE COULD DETERMINE; NO ERGONOMIC STUDIES HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED TO SEE IF PAX CAN REMOVE SEAT CUSHIONS IN THE NEW; EVER-NARROWER SEAT CONFIGNS IN CASE OF AN EMER WATER LNDG. TRY IT YOURSELF: IF YOU FLY IN ANY AREA BUT FIRST CLASS AND AREN'T SITTING IN AN AISLE SEAT; IT'S VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO STAND UP; TURN AROUND; PULL OUT THE SEAT CUSHION; AND STRAP IT ON AS INSTRUCTED IN THE STANDARD SAFETY BROCHURE IN EVERY AIRLINE'S SEAT POCKET. I'M A FIVE FT TALL FREQUENT FLYER; AND I'VE ATTEMPTED TO DO THIS ON MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMMERCIAL PLANES; AND IT'S NOT POSSIBLE FOR ME -- SO HOW WOULD TALL; OVERWT OR ELDERLY PAX ACCOMPLISH THIS SAFETY MANEUVER? I'M CONCERNED ABOUT ANOTHER SAFETY ISSUE CAUSED BY OVERCROWDING: THE INABILITY TO ASSUME OPTIMUM CRASH POS WHICH IS HEAD-ON-KNEES. SUPPOSEDLY; CRASH DUMMY TESTS HAVE SHOWN THAT FOREHEAD-RESTING-ON-CROSSED-ARMS ON THE SEAT AHEAD IS JUST AS SAFE; BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKELY TO ME. I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME DOCUMENTATION. I ALSO HAVE AIR QUALITY CONCERNS; AND MS X INFORMED ME THAT THERE IS CURRENTLY A PETITION TO DO AN AIR QUALITY STUDY. RECENTLY DESIGNED AIRPLANES DEPLOY; FOR ECONOMY OF OPS; GREATER AMOUNTS OF RETICULATED AIR THAN EARLIER MODELS. RETICULATED AIR (AIR CURRENT COMING ACROSS THE JET TURBINES; COOLED AND CIRCULATED THROUGH THE AIRPLANE'S VENTILATION SYS) CAUSES STALER; STUFFIER AIR; MORE THROAT AND EYE PROBS; NOXIOUS ODORS; AND UNCOMFORTABLE LACK OF HUMIDITY IN CABINS. ONE GROUP OF ATTENDANTS CLAIM THAT HYD FLUID AND LUBRICATION OIL COULD BE LEAKING INTO AIR CONDITIONING. SOUNDS UNHEALTHY TO ME. IN GENERAL; MOST OF THE DISCOMFORT ALL PAX EXPERIENCE IS CAUSED BY UNBELIEVABLY GREEDY (AND UNREGULATED) AIRLINES. WE CAN ALSO LIST 'FOOD;' LACK OF CLEANLINESS; LACK OF STORAGE AND OVERBOOKING AS PROBS CAUSED BY OVERCROWDING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT SHE ALSO SENT A LETTER TO ANOTHER GROUP; BUT HASN'T HEARD FROM THEM. THE NTSB TOLD HER TO WRITE TO THE ASRS PROGRAM; AS THEY SAID THAT IT WAS NOT IN THEIR JURISDICTION; BUT IN ASRS'S. THE RPTR TRAVELS QUITE A BIT. SHE HAS TESTED THE SEATS ON EVERY PLANE SHE'S BEEN ON.