Ryanair considers stools on flights (From The Oxford Times)

Ryanair considers stools on flights

2:52pm Monday 6th July 2009 in

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Budget airline Ryanair has come up with a possible new cost-cutting measure in the form of stools rather than seats on flights.

The Irish no-frills carrier is looking at the possibility of increasing capacity on flights by getting some passengers to squat on stools.

These passengers would pay less than those in "normal" seats or possibly fly for free.

Ryanair spokesman Stephen McNamara said that the airline's chief executive Michael O'Leary had already been in touch with aircraft manufacturer Boeing to see if such a scheme was feasible.

Mr McNamara said: "If it's possible, if we can get the IAA (Irish Aviation Authority) to approve it and if it can reduce fares even further we will be doing it."

Mr O'Leary told Sky News that he got the idea from the Chinese airline Spring, which said it could squeeze 50% more passengers on board and cut costs by 20%.