Privately-owned Chinese low-cost carrier Spring Airlines has spoken to Airbus about adding standing-seats on its Airbus A320s so it can have 40% more passengers on board.

Zhang Wuan, an official at the Shanghai airline who works closely with the CEO, says: “We are planning to have standing seats” and have had “initial discussions with the Airbus side to see if the safety question can be” addressed.

“We want to have it so more people can afford to fly,” says Zhang, adding that the carrier estimates it can fit 40% more passengers on board its A320s.

The standing seats will reportedly look like a bar stool and have a safety strap.

Zhang says Spring today has 13 aircraft but is adding two or three more this year.

Source

However in 2006 standing seats were denied by Airbus.

I am seriously hoping they are only planning on flying in China.  I cannot see any way that would be sanctioned for flights outside the country in areas governed by the ICAO, JAA, FAA or any other regulatory body in the aviation industry.

But without the on-board barstools, how can the passengers reach up to the on-board bar for their on-board drinks?

looks at standing only seats

Okay that’s confusing….........seats are for sitting but now they’re just for standing?

hulitoons - 04 July 2009 09:25 AM

looks at standing only seats

Okay that’s confusing….........seats are for sitting but now they’re just for standing?

Instead of bar stools, I pictured standing harnesses (like some amusement park rides have) in rows on the plane.  If they went that route, I don’t see what safety rules they would be breaking. (There is nothing inherently safer about sitting instead of standing, as long as the safety harnesses and such are equal.)

DavePrime - 04 July 2009 09:30 AM

hulitoons - 04 July 2009 09:25 AM

looks at standing only seats

Okay that’s confusing….........seats are for sitting but now they’re just for standing?

Instead of bar stools, I pictured standing harnesses (like some amusement park rides have) in rows on the plane.  If they went that route, I don’t see what safety rules they would be breaking. (There is nothing inherently safer about sitting instead of standing, as long as the safety harnesses and such are equal.)

You would be surprised at the safety regulations governing aircraft.  I am not even going to try and list them here but suffice it to say that under the present regulations there is no possibility of this ever happening around here.  I can’t speak for China so they may let it fly over there but I really doubt it would be certified for any flights outside the country.