Quote:
Originally Posted by captjns
No... Ryanair put this idea was on the table about 2 years ago.
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Actually, O'Leary himself has said he got the idea from the Chinese airline Spring...
I must say that I love his "fat tax" idea! 
So many airlines here in the US would be awash with money if we charged by the pound! 
Irish airline Ryanair considers aircraft with standing room, pay toilets
July 8, 12:26 PM
Irish airline Ryanair’s Chief Executive Michael O’Leary is making headlines once again with his recent proposal to allow some of its passengers to stand during flights. No, this is not a joke or publicity stunt from Mr. O’Leary, as he has been known to suggest other non-conformist ideas that have now been implemented by airlines around the world.
Initial talks about “standing room only” passengers have already been held with Boeing about designing an aircraft that includes both seated travelers and standees. Approval has also been requested from the Irish Aviation Authority before any aircraft with this capability would be ordered. The low-cost airline has also proposed lower prices for passengers who sit on bar stool type aircraft seats with seat belts around their waists.
Apparently Mr. O’Leary got the idea from a Chinese airline named Spring, which first came up with the idea.
Spring estimates that costs would be reduced by 20 percent if standing room was allowed on their aircraft, and they could accommodate up to 50 percent more passengers. Do bear in mind however that this is the same Michael O’Leary who earlier this year commented that passengers could be charged to use the aircraft lavatories. At the time he said that Ryanair was looking into the possibility of having a coin slot installed on the aircraft’s restroom doors so that passengers might actually have to pay to use the facilities. How far the airline has gone toward implementation of this proposal internally isn’t known.
Another suggestion from Mr. O’Leary was the introduction of a “fat tax” for overweight passengers.
Ryanair began operations in 1985 and has grown by leaps and bounds ever since. They currently operate 196 Boeing 737-800 aircraft to 146 cities in 26 countries. The airline expects to carry nearly 67 million passengers in 2009 and now has the largest airline booking site in Europe. Their on-time performance is typically near the top of all European airlines and their customer complaints near the bottom. The airline continues to excel with their concept of a minimal charge for the airline reservation and additional fees for airport check-in, a reserved seat, checked baggage, in-flight refreshments, and so on. On-line check-in is offered from 15 days to 4 hours prior to departure.
ALSO...
Irish airline Ryanair wants passengers to stand up on flights so they can cram more people onbaord
Irish airline Ryanair wants passengers to stand up on flights so they can cram more people onboard
BY SAMUEL GOLDSMITH
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Monday, July 6th 2009, 12:57 PM
Think paying to check a bag is bad? It gets worse.
The Irish discount airline Ryanair wants passengers to stand up on flights so they can cram more people every flight.
The company's CEO wants Boeing to build a special standing room only jet so fliers can perch on stools instead of sit in chairs - a method Ryanair thinks could get 30% more customers on their planes.
"Passengers wouldn't be fully standing, they would have something like a stool to lean on or to sit on," said Stephen McNamara, a Ryanair spokesman.
The plan would "completely adhere to safety procedures," he said, as the stools would have lap belts to keep you attached.
Standing room tickets would cost less than seats, McNamara said.
The idea came from the Chinese airline Spring, which is developing a similar plan.
Ryanair flies to destinations throughout Europe and a few in Northern Africa.
The company has already implemented wacky-cost cutting measures like charging passengers about $1.50 to use the toilet, and making them carry their bags to luggage compartments.
They even closed airport check-in facilities and make passengers get boarding passes online.
The strange tactics seem to be working for the company, which is Europe's biggest short distance airline with about 60 million passengers a year.
Ryanair reported Monday that business is up 13% from last year despite the recession that's crippling many of their competitors.
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