Standing room only ?

Sky News has reported that Ryanair's chief executive Michael O'Leary has mooted the notion of offering free flights to passengers willing to stand on sectors of 90 minutes or less, and it's not even April 1st. The airline has apparently contacted Boeing with a view to either converting existing aircraft or having future deliveries configured to include 'vertical seating' sections.

The idea is not an original Ryanair idea however as the idea has already been proposed by Shanghai based low cost carrier Spring Airlines. The Chinese carrier reckons it can fit 40% more passengers into it's A320 aircraft and reduce operating costs by 20% by offering standing room only 'seating'. The president of Spring Airlines Wang Zhenghua told a Chinese television station last week about the idea and said that the plan had garnered the support of Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Deijang. "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", said Wang.

Airbus have apparently toyed with the idea of standing passengers for some time, using a bar stool like device to strap the passengers into for takeoff and landing.

Any move by Ryanair to introduce such 'seating' arrangements would require the approval of the Irish Aviation Authority.