Los Angeles:
Air travelers already pay extra to check bags on planes, even for more leg room. But how willing are they to pay more for the pleasure of sitting?
Say hello to the newest idea in ultra-high density aircraft cabin seating--the Sky Rider.
"Lately we are finding different names for it. One could be the John Wayne seat," said Fredrek Meloni from Avio-Interiors.
Italian aircraft seat company "Avio-Interiors" designed a chair that looks more like a saddle and harness you'd see on a rollercoaster. It sets willing passengers a mere 23 inches apart from one another. The flip table is by your forehead, but it could allow airlines to cram more people in, and that's not all.
"It's actually 1/3 of the weight of a normal economy class seat. Which means a fuel reduction that guarantees a fare reduction for the passenger," said Fredrek Meloni.
It's gotten a lot of attention here at an airline interior design show in Long Beach California, and a lot of buzz in the industry.
It's not intended to be a seat you fly on for more than an hour or two. The makers claim the semi-standing position is actually healthier than the standard airline seat.
"They look at it and they wonder 'where is the horse?' It is a very curious design, a very provocative design. But that was the purpose," said Fredrek Meloni.
But how do you sell this idea to beleaguered passengers?
"It's slight less comfortable than I thought when I saw. But I could do it for an hour," said Keith Rabin, Airline Industry Executive.
Maybe offer it at a cut rate?
"I would try to avoid flying on seats like that. I'm 5'9" and it looks really uncomfortable," said Mickey Donovan, from Los Angeles.
For some travellers less space is too much. Yet according to Avio-Interiors some low-cost carriers think the stand up seat is an idea whose time has landed.