Ryanair, the low-cost airline, has firmly dismissed claims circulating on social media and various travel outlets regarding the introduction of “standing seats” in its aircraft. These allegations suggested that the airline would soon offer this novel seating option as a way to lower fares, potentially as soon as 2026. Ryanair and Aviointeriors, the Italian manufacturer behind the standing seat concept, have come out with their respective positions loud and clear. They aren’t just acknowledging the problem.
The concept of vertical or standing seats isn’t new. It initially became popularized in 2010, when negotiations were spearheaded by Ryanair’s controversial CEO, Michael O’Leary. Unbundled services — He introduced this pretty radical concept into the airline universe to help cram more people onto their aircraft and deliver crazy-low prices. Aviointeriors responded by creating a mock-up called the Skyrider, which is described as “in fact a conceptual prototype dating back to 2012.” According to Aviointeriors, this prototype “is not included in the official line-up” of the company’s products.
Euronews contacted Aviointeriors to confirm the recent allegations. In their responses they reiterated that there are “no plans” to provide standing seats to Ryanair. The reason for such a move couldn’t have been clearer from the company’s announcement. As a result, it will not produce or deliver such seats to the airline going forward.
Speculation over standing seats aboard Ryanair flights spread like wildfire. Many travel-focused media and social media users assumed these seats would be ready for 2026. Equity travelers might be the most abuzz with talk about this disinformation. They are keen to discover affordable alternatives, as demand for low-cost travel has increased within this decade.
We all know Ryanair for its ultra-low-cost fares, provided the fare can at times be as low as €7.99. To make its low-cost model work, the airline is known for coming up with surprising and unorthodox ideas. As if that wasn’t outrageous enough, previously O’Leary has proposed pay-per-use onboard toilets and a “fat tax” on overweight passengers.
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