Next up: Standing-room only flights?

Just wait 'til Kingfisher gets hip to the idea.

Ryanair, Europe’s favorite budget airline, made headlines yesterday when they announced their intent to offer barstool seating for some flights. From the Telegraph:

The low-cost airline would charge passengers less on “bar stools” with seat belts around their waists.

Michael O’Leary, the chief executive, has already held talks with US plane manufacturer Boeing about designing an aircraft with standing room.

He is now seeking approval from the Irish Aviation Authority before ordering a new fleet of carriers, according to The Sun.

A Ryanair spokesman told the newspaper: “If they approve it, we’ll be doing it.”

Lost in the headlines was Ryanair’s inspiration: China’s Spring airline, which originated the idea with their own announcement a few days earlier. From the L.A. Times:

Spring Airlines, a low-cost carrier based in Shanghai, said having passengers stand up in flight would enable it to cram 40% more travelers into its Airbus A320 planes while cutting operating costs 20%.

The president of the airline, Wang Zhenghua, told a Chinese television station that the idea was getting some traction since it was also raised by Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang.”He suggested that, for a lower price, passengers should be able to get on a plane like catching a bus, with no seat, no luggage consignment, no food, no water, but very convenient,” Wang said…

Passengers would be strapped to a bar-stool-like stand during takeoff and landing, a Spring Airlines spokesman said.

“It’s just like bar stools. The safety belt is the most important thing. It will still be fastened around the waist,” airline spokesman Zhang Wuan said, adding that Airbus had told the carrier that the proposal was safe.

“Once the government approves it formally, we’ll try it.”

As with many innovations, this is a great idea — until something goes wrong. Frankly I don’t know whom I’d trust less in a crisis: the staff of a budget Chinese airline or the cranky lasses of Ryanair.

Ryanair to make passengers stand | Telegraph.

Chinese airline may offer cheaper fares to passengers who stand | Los Angeles Times.