AND FINALLY, you might think that airlines have reached the limit on maximising passenger numbers, by installing the smallest seats possible on their planes, but aviation bosses are now looking at the possibility of scrapping seats and simply strapping passengers into upright benches.
The reason for this new development is simple – the new Airbus 380 ‘super-jumbo’ will accommodate around 500 seated passengers comfortably, but could stretch to 853 if a section for standing passengers was included. Those in the ‘standing section’ would be propped against a padded backboard and held in place with a harness, according to experts who have seen prototype versions. This configuration is only being proposed for short-haul flights and experts believe there is no legal barrier to installing standing seats. In Britain, the Civil Aviation Authority said the matter would have to be decided by the European Aviation Safety Agency. In the US, the Federal Aviation Administration does not require a passenger to be in a sitting position for take off and landing – only secured. So get ready for standing room only on the low cost flights of the future!
