Vertical seat

The vertical seat (standing seat, stand-up seat) is an airline seat configuration, created in 2003 by Airbus, canvassed to Asian carriers in 2006, and most recently promoted by Ryanair in 2010. The configuration involves standing passengers travelling while being braced in position.

The configuration and all designs have not yet been approved by regulatory agencies. There is no bar to such a configuration in Federal Aviation Administration (US) regulations.[1] However, according to Transport Canada, every passenger over the age of two requires a seat, meaning it would not fly in Canada.[2]

In 2006, Airbus was quietly polling airlines to see about the viability of a perch seat,[1][3] which it had created in 2003.[2]

In 2010, Ryanair promulgated a vertical seat design for use in its aircraft.[4] Both the European Aviation Safety Agency and UK Civil Aviation Authority were skeptical as to the design being able to meet licensing requirements.[5] The design is expected to start undergoing safety trials in the 2011-2012 time frame. It has already been rejected by Boeing,[6] as it believes that the design would not meet the 16G regulatory requirement.[2] Tiger Airways Australia announced that it would also pursue the Ryanair design,[7] as has its parent, Tiger Airways.[8] The Ryanair version of the seat has been described as "barstools with seatbelts"[9] According to UK aviation law, passengers require a seatbelt on landing and takeoff, so the lack of a seat may preclude the design from being legal in the UK.[10] The Ryanair design would have passengers perched on a narrow shelf, with their weight taken up by their legs, and their back against the seatback, strapped in, with additional shoulder restraints similar to rollercoaster overhead restraints.[11]

The configuration is superficially similar to the SkyRider saddle seat design proposed by Aviointeriors.[5][12]

References

  1. 1 2 New York Times, "One Day, That Economy Ticket May Buy You a Place to Stand", Christopher Elliott, 25 April 2006 (accessed 17 September 2010)
  2. 1 2 3 Toronto Star, "Ryanair looking at standing 'seats,' pay toilets", Jim Rankin, 2 July 2010 (accessed 17 September 2010)
  3. ↑ Daily Mail (UK), "Ryanair to sell standing room only tickets for £4... funded by charging passengers to use the toilet", Ray Massey, 2 July 2010 (accessed 17 September 2010)
  4. ↑ The Telegraph (London), "Ryanair to sell £5 tickets for standing-room only flights", Laura Roberts, 1 July 2010 (accessed 17 September 2010)
  5. 1 2 Daily Mail (London), "Welcome to 'saddle class': New seat design with just 23 inches of legroom unveiled", Jo Tweedy, 14 September 2010 (accessed 17 September 2010)
  6. ↑ Sunday Morning Herald, "Ryanair plan for standing-room 'vertical seats'", Robyn Grace, 2 July 2010 (accessed 17 September 2010)
  7. ↑ news.com.au, "Tiger Airways considers standing-only airfares", Lee Taylor, 2 July 2010 (accessed 17 September 2010)
  8. ↑ Business News, "Tiger Airways mulls 'vertical seating' option for passengers", 5 July 2010 (accessed 8 July 2010)
  9. ↑ "Ryanair aims to cut cost of flight by making its passengers stand", 6 July 2009 (accessed 17 September 2010)
  10. ↑ New York Daily News, "Ryanair plans to offer $7 'standing-room-only' tickets, passengers stand in 'vertical seats' area", Catey Hill, 3 July 2010 (accessed 17 September 2010)
  11. ↑ iol, "Bizarre standing-only flights...", 4 July 2010 (accessed 17 September 2010)
  12. ↑ National Post, "Italian company unveils ‘saddle seat’ for airlines", Ron Nurwisah, 15 September 2010 (accessed 17 September 2010)
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