Fasten Your Standing Belts: Budget Airlines to Introduce 'Standing-Only' Seats by 2026

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard. Please remain upright and fasten your... standing belts?”

Wait, what?

That might just be the new reality of budget air travel. Low-cost airlines are preparing to introduce standing-only seats, or as they like to call it, a “vertical seating experience,” as early as 2026. Think subway pole meets economy class. But this time, you're 35,000 feet in the air.

Budget Airlines to Introduce 'Standing-Only' Seats by 2026

Italian aircraft seat maker Aviointeriors has brought back its infamous ‘Skyrider 2.0’ design. It’s basically a saddle-style perch with a harness that keeps you semi-upright. It's not quite standing. Not quite sitting. Definitely not relaxing. The idea is to squeeze in 20 percent more passengers per flight and cut down ticket prices.

And yes, the design recently cleared another safety approval. That means airlines are now one step closer to making you fly upright and calling it a “cost-efficient travel breakthrough.”

Fasten Your Vertical Seatbelts

Ryanair’s outspoken CEO, Michael O’Leary, has long advocated for this “next step in budget flying.” He once joked that passengers should be paying to stand. No airline has officially confirmed when they’ll launch these new seats, but behind-the-scenes chatter says it could happen on short-haul routes sooner than expected.

So next time you board, don’t be shocked if the captain says:

“In the event of turbulence, please grip the handles and try not to fall over. We hope you enjoy your vertical journey with us today!”

Social Media Is Already Standing in Protest

Travelers online are not taking this news lightly. Many have dubbed it “peak budget airline madness” and “proof that comfort is officially dead.” One post that quickly went viral joked:

“I already stand on the metro for 45 minutes. Now I gotta do it in the sky too?”

Airlines claim standing seats will make air travel cheaper. But passengers are wondering what comfort they're giving up in exchange.