Ryanair to install standing seats

12:00 AEST Fri Jul 2 2010

By MSN NZ Travel staff

Not enough leg room will soon be a thing of the past on Ryanair flights with their introduction of standing up seats.

The budget airline plans to offer the vertical spots on short-haul flights for a cost of about $NZ10.90.

Chief executive Michael O'Leary told ITV's How To Beat the Budget Airlines the proposed plan was to take out the last 10 rows of seats so the plane would have 15 rows of seats and the equivalent of 10 rows of standing area.

The announcement comes soon after plans to charge passenger to use the toilets on board were made public.

Aircraft manufacturer Boeing has already rejected Ryanair's plans once, but the airline said there were in the middle or a re-negotiation, according to media reports.

Ryanair has rejected claims it is only seeking publicity and is not serious about the proposals.

Would you consider standing up for a cheaper flight? Have your say below

User comments

Idiots, dont worry it couldnt happen. Civil Aviation Safety would not allow this type of standing arrangement. In the event of an accident, the weight of a body would rip the restraints seat arrangement from the floor of the Aircraft. Like the instruction from a normal seat and the crash position that they recommend...There would not be one survivor in the event of a crash....your body weight would snap your neck in a second....nope in the event of an impending crash the best position would be get your head right down between your legs......and kiss your *** goodbye....

I think that is ridiculous it's very tiring trip just to get to the airport. Also I love looking out the window on aeroplanes to see the marvellous view if i had to stand i wouldn't see anything. I Strong believe that tolits has to be free access because what happens if someone has to go and doesn't have spare cash are you going to susspect them to *** themselfs and stink out the whole plane. I would rather spend an extra $50 dollars to have the luxerious I derserve when flying.

I flew Ryanair quite a few times when living in London. I would never fly them again. On a short trip to Venice, the returning plane broke down. They left all passengers, self included, stranded at Treviso Airport in the middle of nowhere, and placed our bags in a free for all pile on the tarmac. This was at midnight, they then closed the airport. No help to get taxis. No accommodation offered. Not even a cup of tea. The flight itself was not expected but by the time we added on taxis and hotel accommodation for the night, we would have been better flying BA. Never again Ryanair. There's cheap, then there's dangerous. And that's what Ryanair is. In my personal opinion at least. FLY AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!! david

all you idiots going on about the 'crash position" or "brace position" for a crash...the reason for that is that at present airlines get away with what car manufacturers are banned from doing...providing just a lap belt. so your upper body has nothing stopping it from whipping forward in a crash...hence bending forward and holding your knees or bracing on the seat in front..to stop your upper body whipping forward and causing massive internal damage on that tiny little belt you have sitting loosely across your waist...look at the pic...there is an upper body restraint so you're probably safer. BTW..I still think it's a ridiculous idea as there are overhead compartments etc to consider.

Can you imagine, if the plane started to drop in an air pocket, the skinny ones would shoot straight up like a missile, through the roof. If the plane were to go headfirst down, the person's standing frame would pop out of the floor, and you would be a flying missile frame and all....over the heads of all the sitting passengers, smack through the compartments dividing the plane, straight into the back of the captains head..bang ....straight through the windscreen. Give the standing ones a parachute, that's all i say !! oh and a portable air bag !!

I've got a great idea. With these "standing seats", why not have a 2kg max for carry on luggage, no check-in or check in luggage, free toilets and abolish the 'seats' altogether. For a short domestic flight it'd be fine. Instead of full airports, just have "plane stops" with security checkpoints where people can get on and off. Brilliant. I see no logical problem with this plan, nor safety issues, nor human decency violations.

i fly frequently and i would not stand. i mean the rush of airport check in and the complication of baggage and other stuff you have to perfrom at an airport is alot of work alone. I wouldnt want to walk onto a plane and continue to stand. plus where would the overhead luggage departments go? and if say someone was sitting near the window would the other passangers in their row have to let the arm rest down, lift the table in order to let them pass ( for toilet or other reasons?) i mean im sure ryan air have taken these minimal issues into consideration, however, flying for some and most is a rest, and acording to where i come from we dont rest standing !

You know how they say that during a emergency in a flight you should curl up and cover your head? What will the standing passengers do? Stand and wait to be decapitated and crushed? And how long till a standing passenger falls asleep and chokes themselves on the chest brace..

Hi Colin , Thanks for complimenting us on our lovely big bellies. This means the standing situation will be perfect for us and we will be supported from both sides. Most big bellied women are so cherished by their adoring partners and families that they are usually found nice and comfortable in first class. I am a bit worried about the Aussies though, its always risky to have them standing when they are so often legless.

For $10.90 a seat id stand! i prefer to stand anyways..i often give up my seats on the buses and i always walk around and stand in the isles on flights anyways... what i wouldnt do is pay for the toilet! that should be a right... what if you were someone who needed to go all the time! People keep talking about this being really bad etc but you have a choice if you want to sit or stand and if you dont want to they are not forcing you to choose those seats. I say good idea for the short flights