Will we soon be traveling standing up on planes? Airlines could be installing these new seats
Flying at unbeatable prices? This is the bold gamble that several low-cost airlines could soon be taking on. They may have found the key to lowering air travel prices. The entire project is based on a new ultra-compact seat design, which an Italian company has been working on for several years.
Its unique feature is simple: it lets you travel... standing up, almost like on a subway or bus. These innovative seats, introduced in 2018 by Italian manufacturer Aviointeriors, are called "Skyriders 2.0." They resemble padded supports on which passengers can lean rather than sit.
An unconventional arrangement with a distinct advantage: it takes up little space and could increase aircraft capacity by up to 20%. By allowing more passengers onto a plane, this system could drastically reduce ticket prices, especially for flights of less than two hours. It's hard to imagine a passenger remaining strapped in like this on a long-haul flight!
Could it be arriving on our planes soon? New photos have surfaced online, showing these famous seats, already seen in 2018 at a trade show reserved for industry professionals in Hamburg. As a reminder, Ryanair had already expressed interest in this solution, with CEO Michael O'Leary even mentioning fares as low as €5 per ticket back in 2012. But since then, radio silence! For the time being, no airline has officially committed to selling these standing seats. On the manufacturer's website, the famous Skyrider is no longer featured, as noted by Linternaute.com. This is enough to put a serious brake on the latest rumors, which even promise its arrival in 2026. Without any additional information...
It must be said that the idea is divisive. While the promise of further democratizing air travel may be a dream come true for many airlines, it also attracts fierce criticism. Aside from the impact on the planet if this new development allowed tourists to travel back-to-back throughout the year, many are concerned about discomfort, health risks, and safety in the event of turbulence or an emergency.
For experts, too, the debate is far from settled. If safety standards are respected, "it becomes more a question of values than of regulations," says one travel specialist, interviewed by the British press. Dr. Akhil Bhardwaj, an air safety expert, pointed out a major problem to the Daily Express : the reputation of air travel: "The idea of a flying bus cramming passengers into the air could harm people's perception of safety."
One thing is certain: if these standing seats are adopted, they won't replace traditional seats on our planes anytime soon. Rather, the idea would be to offer several options: low-cost standing, economy class, and premium. As its manufacturer already indicated in 2018, "Skyrider 2.0 opens the travel experience to a wider market, also creating a useful new space for the introduction of mixed classes on board the same aircraft." It remains to be seen whether passengers will be there or up in arms...
L'Internaute
