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The Telegraph is reporting that Ryanair, Ireland’s low-cost airline, is considering offering “standing room” seats, and would charge passengers less to sit on "bar stools" with seat belts around their waists.
Michael O'Leary, the chief executive, has already held talks with U.S. plane manufacturer Boeing about designing an aircraft with standing room.
He is now seeking approval from the Irish Aviation Authority before ordering a new fleet of carriers, according to The Sun.
O'Leary is reported to have got the idea from the Chinese airline Spring, which has put forward similar plans. It estimates space could be made for up to 50 percent more passengers and costs could be cut by 20 percent.
It is not the first time Ryanair has come up with a controversial proposal for cutting costs. Earlier this year, O'Leary suggested passengers could be charged to use the on-board lavatories, and a "fat tax" for overweight passengers was suggested.