During those heavy-duty airline battle days, I talked with many people
about the connection between needless seating restrictions and
discrimination in employment and other areas of life.  Our presidential
releases and Monitor articles often did a first-rate job of explaining
it, so of course I drew on those and on my own best understanding of the
world.  Some people got it, some didn't, and maybe some just plain
didn't want to--though I can't figure why.
I think the FAA made a few valid points near the end of that battle, and
a much narrower exit row seating restriction on the ground of blindness
probably made sense.  I also think we should have provided the FAA an
unedited copy of the tape we made of the evacuation exercise we did with
World Airlines or somebody, which I understand we refused to do.  My
impression was and remains that both we and the FAA were unwilling to be
more precise in our consideration of the matter, and for whatever
reason, we lost the battle of the broad brushes.  That was a bummer,
because the airlines sure needed straightening out, and clearly some of
them still do.
Take care!
Al
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