One Day, That Economy Ticket May Buy You a Place to Stand (Airbus)

New York Times ^ | April 25, 2006 | CHRISTOPHER ELLIOTT

[Paleo Conservative]

If such a configuration were ever installed on an aircraft, he said, it would only be used on short-haul flights like an island-hopping route in Japan.

They would never install this for long haul. Would they?

[Paleo Conservative]

If you want on or off my aerospace ping list, please contact me by Freep mail.

[HAL9000]

[jokar]

and that's no Bu!!

[Bella_Bru]

I'd stand on a flight from L.A. to Vegas, but that is a short hop. Nothing longer.

[Poundstone]

It would be more comfortable to stack horizontal bunks in the main cabin.

Might make emergency evacuation a problem, though.

[Berlin_Freeper]

"Airbus has been quietly pitching the standing-room-only option to Asian carriers, though none have agreed to it yet. Passengers in the standing section would be propped against a padded backboard, held in place with a harness"



Next they will be selling the idea to India of having people strapped down in a sitting position on top of the airplane cabin and wings, like how people travel on trains in that country.

The Irish will be offered a "Riverdance Option" where they will be strapped on the wings but still able to riverdance on peddles to power propellers for long stretches of the flight.

While Mexico will be the first offered the "Stowaway Option" of being strapped under the plane.

These options will require oxygen masks and eye goggles.

[CheyennePress]

Speaking as an all too often broke student, I'd probably be willing to go the long route on this one.

Wonder how they'd get me to leave the lavotory, though? ;)

[globalheater]

If times come and you got to go on your job in china as a commuter maybe costefficiency is such as you got to think twice about having a seat - especially if we got the oil in the hands of good friends like ahmedinedjad and putin.

On the bright side - having low cost commutation will add to shareholders value of all the big global players.

Damn if you got to be the one, who's going.

If you think that's Airbus fault - then you're more then naive.

[CheyennePress]

lavatory, that is.

[Gamecock]

Stupid question:

Wouldn't it be economically unfeasible to use an expensive plane like the A-380 for short, island-hopping flights? And I know that they use 747s for this, but none the less....

The price per seat vs wear and tear caused by very frequent take offs and landings seems to be cost ineffective.

Can someone who knows more about this enlighten me?

[snoringbear]

There's a lot of joking and cutting up going on about this but I can tell you as an old asia hand that it will sell in the orient. If you don't believe me, come ride the subway in Shanghai sometime. Now those folks know how to pack those babies!

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

They at least get a olive oil bath. And they are lying down.

We have to pay extra to be treated as well as a sardine.

[zipper]

Or how about in Tokyo where officials in uniforms are there to pack people in during rush hour, so that the subway doors will close? Sad but true.

[Allegra]

They would never install this for long haul. Would they?

I can guarantee that if they did, I'd certainly never buy one.

[Non-Sequitur]

But with standing-room-only seats, the same plane could conceivably fit in 853 passengers, the maximum it would be permitted to carry.

At least they didn't say "...could comfortably fit 853 passengers."

[ketelone]

Enough is enough already. Im already mighty uncomfortable in coach class, and i'm no giant, at 6'2", 208lb.

Sitting in a center seat is hell, theres no place to put my arms, and i have to sleep with someones elbow in my face.

Aircraft manufacturers are showing absolute irresponsibility in even suggesting this idea!

[Vigilanteman]

Actually, I used to regularly fly the route between Osaka and Tokyo. It was a nice 747 wide body with almost all seats filled. Pricewise it was quite comparable to the bullet train and nearly as comfortable. Flight time was one hour versus three for the train; some of the advantage being off-set by location and transportation to/from the airport to the central city, but less than you'd think. I could show up at the airport 20 minutes before take-off and get on the flight.

[Vigilanteman]

Actually, I lived in the Tokyo area and rode these trains. The uniformed officials do NOT pack the people into the trains-- they pack themselves in. The officials are simply there to make sure elbows, umbrellas, coattails, briefcases, etc. are not in the path of the closing doors so it gives the illusion they are packing people in.

[Jimmy Valentine]

"They would never install this for long haul. Would they?"

I think that this used to be called "steerage".