Spring Airlines of China is making a request to regulators to permit the reconfiguration of its aircraft to include standing-room “seating.”

When I first saw this, I had to check the calendar to make sure it really was July 1, not April 1. But sure enough, it’s being picked up by news services and MSNBC.

The standing jet could accommodate 40% more passengers compared to a traditional plane. It could also help airlines cut 20% of their costs, while lowering airfares for consumers.

Mr Wuan added: “It’s just like bar stools. The safety belt is the most important thing. It will still be fastened around the waist.” The airline would need government backing to go ahead with the plans. But Spring Airlines president Wang Zhenghua said that he was confident because the idea had been suggested by China’s vice premier Zhang Dejiang.

“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 Mr Zhenghua.

History really DOES repeat itself. Back in 2006, sketches of an Airbus-designed standing configuration were floated in the New York Times. Airbus backpedaled when outrage erupted, but the idea clearly survived. And Airbus is being named again in this latest iteration:

[Mr. Zhenghua] added that the company had consulted with Airbus, the company which built most of its aeroplanes, and had been told the proposals were safe. “So once the government approves it formally, we’ll try it,” he added.

My only disappointment is that Ryanair isn’t the one proposing this.

Here’s a visual from the last time this concept was floated. It still reminds me of “The Silence of the Lambs,” and the means of transporting Hannibal Lecter; I still chuckle with smug self-satisfaction at my labeling of this idea as “Hannibal Class” back in 2006.

(Hat tip to Marilyn Terrell)

Related:
- Think air travel is like riding the bus? Think subway.
- Standing room only: real or not?
- Short hops — May 2, 2006 — Standing seats (again), miles for dry cleaning, and more
- Posts tagged “Standing Seats” | Upgrade: Travel Better
- Looking backward: Airlines considering alternating forward and rear-facing seats

The story that won’t go away: Standing seats, re-re-redux
Christopher Elliott, who wrote the now-controversial article for the NYT, publishes the proof that these seats actually existed on his blog. His photo republished here. Semi-retraction or not, I still think this was a trial balloon. The reaction being negative, we won’t see stand-up seats. Yet…

Miles for Dry Cleaning
Standing inflight would keep your attire looking sharp. But if you’re crumpled and sweaty, earn some miles. Delta introduces SkyMiles Drycleaning. I’m not kidding. (Well, technically they call it SkyMiles Clothing Care, but still.)

Delta, and clothing, again
New uniforms for frontline staff. And why not: This is the airline that had Kate Spade-designed uniforms for their Song subsidiary. But is bankruptcy the best time to be shelling out the moolah for new threads?

Airport advertising
Taking a cue from the film “Minority Report,” Accenture has installed a giant touchscreen billboard at Chicago O’Hare’s terminal 3. Pretty cool, but when it comes to ads at O’Hare, I’ll always look back fondly on the billboards that read “Get Veal Satisfaction.”

Onboard wireless
Nine companies are bidding for a segment of the radio spectrum which could be used for inflight wireless — phone, internet, whatever. The two latest entrants: JetBlue, and the original holder of the spectrum, Verizon AirFone. It sounds like there will be some competition for Boeing’s Connexion and Inmarsat’s less well-known SwiftBroadband.

Collect them all!
Conde Nast Traveler’s Top 130 new hotels. A new hotel every three days. (The cheaper rooms on the list — sub-$200 — are listed here.)

CNN/Money reports that Airbus denies yesterday’s NYT report that they were pitching standing-room-only “seating” to Asian airlines. (I admit I still enjoy the phrase “Hannibal class” to describe these seats…) The Airbus spokesperson even calls the report “crap.” But this was a front-page article, and author Christopher Elliott is holding firm, according to IAG.:

Current information from the NYT reporter (Chris Elliott) is as follows: “An Airbus spokeswoman admitted to me last night that the standing room seat exists. Its only argument with the story is that it said it no longer is pitching the concept. But the seats are real.”

Sounds like Airbus is backpedaling. Nonetheless, for those fearing the advent of Hannibal class, breathe easily, this is good news…

(image: adapted from NYT)

First, business, economy… and now standing room only?? Straphangers of the world, Airbus wants to bring the subway to the skies.

Airbus has been quietly pitching the standing-room-only option to Asian carriers, though none have agreed to it yet. Passengers in the standing section would be propped against a padded backboard, held in place with a harness, according to experts who have seen a proposal.

Standing room only, strapped to a board?? Sweet. I’ve always wanted that Hannibal Lecter feel during air travel. (”Hannibal Class” ?) And good luck getting overhead bin space with more people crammed in. Where do people stand when they’re unstrapped? Do they rove about the cabin, hovering in the aisles?? And can you use your upgrades to move from Hannibal to Economy?

Way to go, Airbus. Encourage the race to the bottom.

I’m not sure about European rules, but for those thinking this couldn’t happen in the US…

There is no legal barrier to installing standing-room seats on an American airliner. The Federal Aviation Administration does not mandate that a passenger be in a sitting position for takeoffs and landings; only that the passenger be secured. Seating must comply only with the agency’s rules on the width of aisles and the ability to evacuate quickly in an emergency.

Will we see this really happen? I have my doubts, but who knows. I’ll stick to Economy Plus for now.

(images: Irina / Riri, Movieforum)