Are budget flights getting even cheaper? Colombia's VivaColombia considers standing seats to lower ticket prices

▲VivaColombia. (Photo / Wikipedia)

By Rita

Everyone knows trains and buses have standing tickets, but would you dare buy a standing ticket on a plane?

Low-cost carriers (LCCs) aim to offer the cheapest fares by cutting in-flight services to attract travelers, but one carrier is now thinking about removing seats altogether.According to The Independent,Colombia's low-cost airline VivaColombia is considering removing all seats so passengers can stand for the entire flight.

The no-frills airline announced this week that it has added 50 new Airbus A320s to meet the growing travel market. The airline's CEO said in an interview that passengers have asked about the possibility of buying standing tickets, prompting the company to explore this option to further reduce fares.

The idea of standing tickets on planes may sound crazy, but the concept was actually considered as early as 2003 by Airbus, which proposed securing passengers in a "vertical" position—essentially standing tickets. However, the idea has not yet been approved by aviation authorities. Whether from official or public perspectives, the concept of standing tickets seems to have yet to pass the safety test.