WASHINGTON D.C. — An appeals court panel says federal officials should reconsider whether to regulate the size of airline seats in the name of safety.

One of the judges calls it the case of the incredible shrinking airline seat.

On Friday, a three-judge panel for the federal appeals court in Washington found fault with the word the Federal Aviation Administration did before the agency rejected setting new regulations on seat size.

A passenger group called Flyers Rights challenged the FAA in court, saying cramped planes are a safety hazard and the FAA needs to do something about it.

The FAA says it is studying the ruling.