Air travel's about to be cheaper than ever - if you're happy to stand

An aircraft designer has unleashed a prototype of a new sort of seat that could change the face of flying.

Similar in concept to a saddle, the seat puts the user in an upright position, perching their rear on the seat's very edge, with the bulk of their weight taken by their legs. The seat does not recline, and the occupant's knees would in most cases touch the seat in front of them.

Italy-based Aviointeriors showed off the bright-yellow prototype this month at the annual Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg.

Dubbed the Skyrider 2.0, this one is an update on the first version, which the company has been floating since 2010.

It says the seats weigh 50% less than typical, standard economy seats, and take up less space, therefore allowing for a 20% increase in cabin capacity.

In other words, planes could squeeze in more passengers - a benefit the design company says could accrue to both airlines and customers.

"Ultra-high density seating", it says, translates to "a new frontier of low-cost tickets", which would open up air travel to those who cannot afford it today.

So far, the design is only being pitched for short, domestic flights.

According to The Telegraph, no one has placed any orders yet - though Ryanair would be an unsurprising early adopter.