Stand up airline 'seats'

[luke]

I flew Ryan Air Paris/Glasgow/Paris a few years ago...I think they'd do anything to save a buck - the baggage charge was very high, they charged a certain amount for on-line check-in and even more for airport check in and the price for a refreshment was insane....and I can still remember the Paris airport - we had to travel way out of Paris to Beauvais Airport - it was hot, crowded, under construction and we called it the "Mauvais Airport" (Mauvais = bad, in French)- then when we got to Glasgow, we were actually at the Prestwick airport - which was a long ways from Glasgow. (I guess they get you "partly" to and from where you're going?? I couldn't imagine sitting/standing that way!!!! (and of course the law of gravity would make you have to pay to use the toilet more often???)
I'll stick to Air Canada and Delta if at all possible!!!!

The airport thing is another reason I don't use RyanAir - they save money by flying to airports that aren't actually the city they serve - eg for Barcelona they actually fly to Girona.
Similarly priced Easyjet at least fly to the 'proper' airports

 

[jeanigor]

That reminds me of the standing roller coaster at Drayton Manor!

I thought the same thing. (Except at Cedar Point)

 

[kaligal]

I'm not sure how they're less safe than sitting. Of course, I'm not an aeronautical engineer or anything...but I don't get why crashing while sitting and restrained is better than crashing while standing and restrained.

Can someone explain it to me?

They don't look all that comfortable, though, that's for sure. I wouldn't want to fly a long flight like that!

 

[jeanigor]

I'm not sure how they're less safe than sitting. Of course, I'm not an aeronautical engineer or anything...but I don't get why crashing while sitting and restrained is better than crashing while standing and restrained.

Can someone explain it to me?

They don't look all that comfortable, though, that's for sure. I wouldn't want to fly a long flight like that!

I'm guessing it has less to do with crashing as it does turbulence. In theory, if you are seated you have more contact with a non-moving object than standing; thereby less likely to fall/be flung/hurtle towards another passenger/become a human projectile. Same principle as a bus. The folks sitting are generally safer than those standing holding the rail.

 

[kaligal]

I'm guessing it has less to do with crashing as it does turbulence. In theory, if you are seated you have more contact with a non-moving object than standing; thereby less likely to fall/be flung/hurtle towards another passenger/become a human projectile. Same principle as a bus. The folks sitting are generally safer than those standing holding the rail.

It doesn't actually look like you'd have less contact with non-moving objects (I'm assuming you mean "in a seat") than sitting people. And there are obvious restraints, so it isn't at all like when you stand on a bus and hang on. In fact, it looks like you'd be MORE restrained in these seats.

I could be wrong. I still don't see what the safety issue is that everyone else got immediately, though.

 

[maroo]

seems like if they could do standing seats that they could figure out a way to make a spot for a power wheelchair?

 

[left_arm]

For 7 bucks, I'd do it.

 

[kaligal]

For 7 bucks, I'd do it.

 

[steve_rob]

It'll never actually happen - it's just a typical Ryanair publicity stunt that they wheel out every now and then when they want attention (and it's clearly worked given how many newspapers worldwide and blogs have reported it as though it's about to launch tomorrow!)

If you want to know why it'll never happen, I suggest you read this article on the BBC website : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8779388.stm (plenty of reasons but I think the fact that they suggest a standing passenger might actually cost the airline MORE is the biggest one)

 

[wishspirit]

I'm not sure how they're less safe than sitting. Of course, I'm not an aeronautical engineer or anything...but I don't get why crashing while sitting and restrained is better than crashing while standing and restrained.

Can someone explain it to me?

They don't look all that comfortable, though, that's for sure. I wouldn't want to fly a long flight like that!

It'll never actually happen - it's just a typical Ryanair publicity stunt that they wheel out every now and then when they want attention (and it's clearly worked given how many newspapers worldwide and blogs have reported it as though it's about to launch tomorrow!)

If you want to know why it'll never happen, I suggest you read this article on the BBC website : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8779388.stm (plenty of reasons but I think the fact that they suggest a standing passenger might actually cost the airline MORE is the biggest one)

I was just about to post the BBC article!

You would have to be strapped in a la Hannibal to make it work! It's all about the centre of gravity in case of crash or turbulance. Sitting down is a larger, more stable centre of gravity than standing. For example you are less likely to fall over if a crowded 'just after Wishes' Disney bus stops abruptly if you are sitting down rather than standing up, due to a more stable centre of gravity. Similar principle with a plane.

Plus the last thing you'd want in a crash is a domino effect of 'upright chairs' all topping in a similar direction, so they would have to be seriously stable, more so than a seat, causing more issues than standing would provide.

Plus they can't even slip a load of money to someone important, it is illegal in the UK in it's current idea, and it would have to pass a heck of a lot of security and safety checks to make it possible!

Plus, where would I store my book for the plane?!?

 

[kbelle8995]

Oh this is such a lovely idea.

Stop them before they think or design again.

 

[dpuck1998]

I say options are good. If the price is right and you are willing to stand great. I wouldn't mind standing, sometimes it is more comfortable than sitting IMO. Now I'd like to be able to use my laptop/dvd player though, I'd need a tray of some sort. Let the consumer decide, if it works more power to 'em.

 

[lttlmc3]

They would have to be adjustable in height for people like me. Us shorties might not be able to reach the "seats." And imagine how long it will take some people to adjust them? Some people have enough trouble buckling the seat belt on a regular plane!!

 

[SueM in MN]

seems like if they could do standing seats that they could figure out a way to make a spot for a power wheelchair?

If all power wheelchairs were the same, maybe they could.
Since there are quite a few brands and configurations, coming up with something that would reliably secure a power wheelchair (or even a manual wheelchair) would be really difficult and I don’t think would be possible in a commercial airplane.

 

[DUHgreg]

Two thoughts:
1) Geneva Convention.
2) Will Disney steal the concept to get more people on to Soarin'.
Just wondering.