Irish budget airline Ryanair has officially denied reports that it plans to introduce so-called “standing seats” on airplanes – allegedly a cheaper alternative to regular seats, Euronews reports.

The statement was prompted by a wave of viral publications in social networks and travel publications, which claimed that Ryanair allegedly as early as 2026 will begin installing in the salons of new “vertical seats” similar to bicycle saddles.

Passengers are expected to be in a semi-seated position, resting on a narrow seat with a backrest and wearing seat belts. This layout would increase the number of seats on board due to the compact layout.

However, Ryanair representatives told Euronews that the company has no plans to introduce such seats.

Similar designs do exist in prototype form. An Italian companyAviointeriorsmentioned in a number of publications, has confirmed that their Skyrider model was developed back in 2012 as a concept and is not part of their official product line.

Nevertheless, interest in the topic is fueled by the long-standing reputation of Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary. He has repeatedly made high-profile statements about possible ways to reduce the cost of air travel. In 2010, he proposed the idea of “standing room”, and earlier – paid toilets and even a “tax on excess weight”. However, all these initiatives were rather provocative and were not realized in practice.

Is it possible to imagine such chairs in the future?

Although no airline has yet decided to install standing seats, the possibility theoretically exists. Aviointeriors’ designs have already undergone preliminary crash tests and have been shown to meet basic safety requirements, including evacuation and stability in an emergency landing.

The main challenge, however, is passenger comfort. Even on short routes, a semi-sitting position can cause fatigue, discomfort and circulatory problems. Against the background of already existing criticism about cramped cabins and lack of space, the introduction of such solutions may cause a negative reaction.

Surveys show that a certain proportion of ultra-budget passengers are willing to consider standing room for the sake of a minimum fare. But the idea remains unrealistic on a large scale.