Posted on 05/21/2025 1:24:04 PM PDT by nickcarraway
If you’ve ever grumbled about sky-high air fares, get ready for a whole new level of frugality—plus a bit of leg work.
Imagine balancing on a padded bicycle saddle, only this one is strapped to the cabin floor and ceiling, and you’re cruising at 35,000 feet. That’s pretty much the gist of Skyrider 2.0, dreamed up by Italian outfit Aviointeriors back in 2018. Here’s the lowdown:
Low-Cost Airlines to launch standing-only seats in 2026
Goodbye bank transfers?
Lean, not lounge: You’ll rest at about a 45° angle, weight on your legs and core muscles—think of it as a mini workout. Feather-light build: Each perch is roughly half the weight of a regular seat, cutting down on fuel burn. Belted in: Yes, there’s a seatbelt—no free-falling mid-turbulence. By shaving off bulk and tightening up the space between rows, airlines reckon they can cram in up to 20% more passengers on hops lasting two hours or less.
Why Low-cost airlines are embracing skyrider 2.0 standing seats
Budget carriers love nothing more than squeezing pennies—and seats—wherever they can. Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary has been banging on about standing “berths” since 2012. His idea? Ten rows of Skyrider seats up front, then a handful of standard stools behind.
What’s in it for them?
Ultra-low fares: Rumours suggest you could grab a one-way ticket for as little as €1–€5.
Bigger cabins: More bodies per flight mean fatter profit margins.
Quicker turnarounds: Lighter seats, fewer parts, less cleaning—so planes spend more time in the air.
Other airlines from Spain to Eastern Europe are eyeing the concept, too. If you’ve got a tight schedule and a tighter budget, a standing ticket might just be the ticket.
Will passengers actually board?
Time for the million-euro question: would you? Online chatter is a proper mix. Some think it’s ingenious, others reckon it’s a step too far:
“I love a deal, but I’ll pass on leg day at 40,000 feet.”
“£3 to Paris ( €3.45) ? Tempting… if only I could recline.”
Pros and cons, laid bare:
Pros: Cheapest flights in yonks; perfect for a quick city hop; bragging rights (“I stood on a plane!”). Cons: No lying back; limited snoozing; might feel like cattle herding if you’re tall. Aviointeriors insists Skyrider seats passed every safety test—with rapid-exit drills and all—so don’t panic about emergencies. And if you really crave a full-blown seat, standard tickets will still be on sale (at a slightly higher price, naturally).
Skyrider 2.0 standing seats: Passing fad or future of low cost Air travel? Let’s be honest: you’re unlikely to see this on a red-eye to New York anytime soon. But for quick runs—say, Madrid to Lisbon or Manchester to Edinburgh—these lean-in perches could carve out a niche. Airlines get to splash headlines with ‘€1 flights!’, and penny-pinchers get their fix of adventure (and leg-burn).
So when you’re booking that next Euro-city break in 2026, watch for the ‘Lean Option’ tick box. If you’re up for a bit of novelty—and don’t mind standing—you could snag a jaw-dropping fare. And if it turns out to be more “ouch” than “wow”, you’ll know to stick with the trusty economy seat next time (for a few quid extra, of course).
Looks more comfortable than regular airline seats. They should install some in airports and let people try them out.
Friggan trains starting to even look better..
bttt
A young man commutes weekly from his family in Texas to his job in California, on Spirit airlines. He apparently doesn’t need to check any luggage. It costs him $22.50 each way.
If you choose to fly on an Airbus A220, you can at least get a 19 inch wide seat, according to SeatGuru.com .
Grace L Ferguson Airlines.
:) ...well, I’ve previously coined the term ‘scum class’ for the seat which is on the last row of the plane, doesn’t recline, in the middle, against the restroom. I seem to end up there too often ;p
Just talked to my brother. They used to fly a lot...as i did. But they’ve taken Amtrak the last few times-they are near a station like i am.
If you have time and retired and not in a hurry, that is the way to go.
No stupid bull crap to go through to get on and HUGE real RECLINING seats and free to move around.
Wife and i are seriously considering it for a trip.
But, its what you purchase..coach, room..whatever.
He also said that they are finally starting to get newer and better equipment.
Impressive! Just when I thought commercial air travel could not possibly get worse, it did!!
Downside: Feel like a sardine in a can
Upside: Chick-fish flexing muscular buttocks
How many snapped necks can you count? I’ve hit downdraft turbulence shooting me down like a shot out of a cannon, 3,000 feet in five seconds.
I thought Amtrak did TSA security stuff now. Pretty sure you can't CCW, don't know about an ordinary pocketknife. I haven't been on Amtrak for about 35 years. I'll drive where I have to go.
Oh yes, trains used to have a dining car. No air turbulence and more roomy place to pee 😂
The slow creep.
... All prices rising......
I say, let’s go into every board room and executive office and replace the furniture with these new concepts.
Only.real men can.fly over an ocean on what should be lawn furniture...bonus points if you jumped out rather than landed. Been there done that.
They still have dinning cars..at least the long haul trains. Commuter trains i dont know.
AND, it depends on the crew i understand as far as service.
From here to Chicago its 36 hours. The southwest one. Its about 230 for the trip, coach. 10% off for seniors. Rooms are expensive but meals and all are included.
For coach, you have to pay for meals, etc. I guess.
Figure that coach on a train is about like flying better than business class on a flight. Seats are huge and roomy. They recline.
Thats about all i know right now.
Good for you. Happy driving.
Dont get hit by some foreign truck driver.
Spirit gets close $25 at times. I’ve flown from Chicago to Miami for $50.
Look on the up side. If you hit an air pocket, you can sing soprano.
I spent hours in a seat like that in 1993. All of the C141’s were grounded, so it had to be a KC-135, in cargo mode. I was a civilian, escorting high value/high priority cargo from Travis AFB to Japan.
Kerosene, alternate hot and cold, crying baby (although the jet engine noise and earplugs mostly drowned him out). The wonderful AF boxed “meal”. We got to stay overnight at Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage, Alaska, because of the blizzard at our destination.
The best part of the flight was that our high value/high priority cargo bumped a colonel and his staff from the flight at Elmendorf.
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