Would YOU Buy a Standing Seat on a Plane?
BEIJING (China National Radio ) - Shanghai-based low-budget carrier Spring Airlines is once again trying to approve plans to offer cut-price tickets to passengers willing to stand up on flights.
The airline mulled over the idea back in 2008 as a way to accommodate more passengers over the Spring Festival holiday rush. Having passengers standing upright would increase capacity by around 40 percent, the airline said. The scheme never really took off; however, as aviation authorities raised concerns over safety issues.
A spokesman for spring told China National Radio that it was still hoping to offer the service. "We need many other conditions to make it work, like working together with airplane manufacturers, getting the approval from the authorities and having the consumers accept the idea," he said.
Passengers would still be strapped in during takeoff and landing, Spring Airlines president Wang Zhenghua previously told news reporters. "The safety belt is the most important thing," he said. "It will still be fastened around the waist."
Dublin-based low-cost airline Ryanair also showed interest in upright seats, and its CEO Michael O'Leary seems to think there is no need for the seatbelts at all.
The Skyrider "saddle” seat was unveiled in 2010 by the Italian firm Aviointeriors, but has yet to be approved by aviation authorities.
Last year Airbus released this design, which looks even less comfortable.
The device is designed for short flights, rather obviously considering tray tables are non-existent, there is no-sign of in-flight entertainment and seats don’t appear to recline. "Reduced comfort remains tolerable for the passengers in as much as the flight lasts only one or a few hours," a spokesman told Telegraph Travel. It said it was "unlikely" the seats would ever be used on passenger planes.
The airline mulled over the idea back in 2008 as a way to accommodate more passengers over the Spring Festival holiday rush. Having passengers standing upright would increase capacity by around 40 percent, the airline said. The scheme never really took off; however, as aviation authorities raised concerns over safety issues.
A spokesman for spring told China National Radio that it was still hoping to offer the service. "We need many other conditions to make it work, like working together with airplane manufacturers, getting the approval from the authorities and having the consumers accept the idea," he said.
Passengers would still be strapped in during takeoff and landing, Spring Airlines president Wang Zhenghua previously told news reporters. "The safety belt is the most important thing," he said. "It will still be fastened around the waist."
Dublin-based low-cost airline Ryanair also showed interest in upright seats, and its CEO Michael O'Leary seems to think there is no need for the seatbelts at all.
The Skyrider "saddle” seat was unveiled in 2010 by the Italian firm Aviointeriors, but has yet to be approved by aviation authorities.
Last year Airbus released this design, which looks even less comfortable.
The device is designed for short flights, rather obviously considering tray tables are non-existent, there is no-sign of in-flight entertainment and seats don’t appear to recline. "Reduced comfort remains tolerable for the passengers in as much as the flight lasts only one or a few hours," a spokesman told Telegraph Travel. It said it was "unlikely" the seats would ever be used on passenger planes.