Chinese Budget Carrier Wants To Sell Passengers Cheaper Tickets — If They’re Willing To Stand During Flights

(JoelOng93)

Seatbelt? Who needs a seatbelt? We all chuckled back when Ryanair sought to get permission to sell standing tickets on the cheap, saying “seatbelts don’t matter.” It seems cockamamie ideas are contagious, as a budget carrier in China is now trying to get permission to do pretty much the same thing as an option for frugal travelers.

Whether or not such an idea actually flies with the government is dubious, reports MarketWatch, as aviation officials around the world have thus far stuck to the stance that allowing passengers to be shoved into flying metal tubes like so many sardines could have obvious safety implications.

Spring Airlines says it’s been mulling over the plan since 2008, four years before Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary had his ideas of going beltless. Back then, the annual Chinese New Year holiday travel rush snarled plans for many passengers to get home by air and rail, a company spokesman told China National Radio.

“We need many other conditions to make it work, like working together with airplane manufacturers, getting the approval from the authorities and having the consumers accept the idea,” a Spring Airlines spokesman said. If it does get approved, the airline says it’ll go ahead and offer the cheaper tickets.

China airline wants passengers to stand for flight [MarketWatch]

by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist