This is pure publicity stunt for a slow-news July Monday morning, but I think they've over-egged it this time... who else finds it a bit sinister that such a loopy and unsafe-sounding proposal be made by a mass aviation company?
On reading it yesterday, I hunted around in vain online trying to find examples of this on the web.
Pushed backwards on takeoff, and down hard and forward on landing, the 'non-paying' standing passenger would be clattering their head off their neighbour or the side of the plane, provided they don't buckle at the knees on landing - I saw it happen once to a member of cabin crew who wasn't seated at touchdown. Imagine the standing area on landing with several passengers having consumed the on-offer bullseye baggies...
Beats me how they can introduce a luas-style bumrest and expect that to conform to air safety regs.... it would be a great threat to use with errant youngsters... 'behave yourself or I'll get the cabin crew to make you swop with that man standing over there'...
'Non-paying' indeed - come off it guys. You don't get something for nothing, tho in this instance the something is literally your entrance fee to the plane and possibly a grab-handle. They'd probably charge a 'standing fee' in addition to the ridiculous online check-in fee - no cabin bags either guys - no room for overhead bins in the standing area, so pay to check your bag (sorry, carry it to the plane and load it yourself), or leave it behind!
Surely it would also have to be approved by every national aviation authority where the planes operate? Imagine the hassle if a country like France said 'no' and banned the flights from their airspace...
I know that the best way to entertain is to play on your weaknesses and defects, but a marketing strategy which is telling passengers that its the 'airline where you cling to the wings' does not for me at least suggest 'no frills - cheaper fares', it suggests 'unacceptably cutting corners in addition to quietly levied charges' and I think its going a bit too far.