Standing room only on Spring Airlines?

Private Chinese carrier could submit plan to regulators by year’s end

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msnbc.com staff and news service reports

updated 7:03 p.m. ET June 30, 2009

How can an airline pack 40 percent more passengers onto a plane, trim costs by 20 percent and lower airfares for its customers?

By offering "standing" seats.

Seriously.

Story continues below ↓

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China's Spring Airlines, in an effort to handle a growing number of passengers, is considering selling standing-room tickets. A spokesperson said the carrier has been mulling the idea since the beginning of the year.

"The process of plane making is really long," spokesman Zhang Wuan told CCTV. "We already ordered 14 new jets. But some of them will only be delivered next year. And you have to wait for at least 5 years to lease a plane, and it is also very expensive."

"It's just like bar stools," he added. "The safety belt is the the most important thing. It will still be fastened around the waist."

Spring could submit its plan to aviation regulators by the year's end.

The private airline operates just 13 planes — not enough to cope with growing demand.

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