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It’s been a standing joke all this while, but now it may well become a reality. A Chinese airline has mooted the idea of ‘standing seats’.

It’s been a standing joke ever since low-budget carriers rolled in, but now someone’s actually gone ahead and proposed it. Low-cost Spring Airlines has mooted the idea of ‘standing seats’. The Chinese carrier says that though they have ordered new aeroplanes, they are likely to be delivered only next year. Meanwhile, they’re having to cope with surging demand. So they are planning to submit this proposal to the aviation regulator by the end of the year. The move, they estimate, will accommodate 40 per cent more passengers and cut costs by 20 per cent. And if you’re thinking about safety, this is what Zhang Wuan of Spring Airlines has been quoted as saying: “It’s just like bar stools. The safety belt is the most important thing. It will still be fastened around the waist.” Get ready to book seats  in the toilet. Can’t be that far off, can it?

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Sohini Chattopadhyay