Carry on then hold on

We’ve been down this road before but I must take you there again. Ryanair again floats pay-to-pee, no-seat travel. Since Ryanair promotes carry-on/no-checked-bags travel you wonder where the standing passengers’ bags are going to go. You also wonder if this idea will ever fly. Or if it’s just another of O’Leary’s stunts.

Update on July 3, 2010 by Frank@OBOW

Comments

[Maria]

When the actor Anthony Daniels was playing C-3PO in the "Star Wars" films, he was unable to sit down in his full costume. So they had a standing ledge built to rest against. Perhaps RyanAir decided if C-3PO can do it, so can their passengers?

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/C3POonset.jpg

[Andy Mesa]

Love it. I've said it before and I'll say it again, whatever these budget airlines can do to make prices cheaper I'm all for. I took a €10 flight on Ryanair last year.

[AC]

I agree with Andy. Keep the flights cheap and charge a la carte for services. I've had plenty of commuter bus rides where I stood for an hour or more. What's the big deal?

[Monte]

Andy & AC, Your support of cheap tickets is commendable. Your confident self assuredness will take you a long way in your futures. As you accumulate life experiences you will realize not everyone is your age nor as able as you are at travelling.

Cheap ticket airlines are certainly a boon to people willing to put up with uncomfortable inconveniences. Some of us are older or have special needs and cut-rate companies do not serve us well. Although I'm seventy I stood on a train in Germany last October for an hour and twenty minutes. It is doable but not comfrotable. I would never, ever use an airline that didn't have the amenities I need to be comfortable.

When you make statements such as you have I would hope your experiences were more worldly and knowledgeable regarding others besides yourselves.

[Paula S]

I agree with you Monte.
In my youth nothing was too uncomfortable for me and I could stand painlessly for hours. Now I'm 52, I wish (and have) to travel in comfort, so I pay the price and avoid low cost carriers like the plague. The fact that we have to fly for seven + hours to reach the UK alone, is a major consideration towards our comfort level.

To you younger people who love these Ryanair offerings, enjoy them while age is on your side. ;-)

Interesting seat/stand design, but how does one prepare for an emergency landing in the crash position?

[Esther]

I do know a woman in her 50s or 60s who can't sit down, because it causes her pain. She's even looking for a solution where she can sleep standing up.
Assuming the standing position was safe, Ryanair could put in a standing room class. However, they would still keep the seats for people who chose to do so. Of course, companies always like to make things difficult and screw things up.
For a flight less than an hour, I might be willing to go for standing only. However, I would be rebelling against it in longer situations.

[Paul Z]

It would be really hard for me to stand for even a short flight, but my wife's sciatica almost demands that she stand a lot. I hate having to stand for my 1-hour commute on the subway.

[Dan]

I wonder how this arrangement would work if there is strong
turbulence during the flight? Or as Paula indicated about
emergency landing.

[Buzz]

Or when your Ryanair flight is delayed six hours while you're on board:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/glasgow_and_west/10409315.stm

[Hugh Donohue]

This reminds me of the Bob Newhart stand-up routine from the 1960's, "The Grace L. Ferguson Air Line (And Storm Door Company)" -

"You folks back there in coach: sorry you have to stand.... But there are hand straps you can hold on to during the flight.... that's right, Ma'am, right there above your head..."

So old, I couldn't find a clip on You Tube!

I have now lived long enough to see the comedy of my adolesence (almost) become reality...

Oy, Vey!