Is cargo the new economy? Saudi airline flyadeal seems to think so...

In what's likely to be a marketing stunt, the low-cost carrier has announced a new option for customers to fly in 'Cargo Passenger Class'

Saudi employees of the new Flydeal airlines company take a selfie during the launching ceremony held at the King Abdulaziz airport in the coastal city of Jeddah, on August 25, 2017. Saudi Arabia's new budget carrier Flyadeal said Thursday it will start flying next month, as the kingdom seeks to expand air services to boost tourism in a radical overhaul of its oil-dependent economy. / AFP PHOTO / AMER HILABI
Faisal Salah
Dec 17, 2018

The low-cost carrier flyadeal, from Saudi Arabia, has introduced a new way to travel: its passengers can now be stowed away with the cargo. Or can they?

Via a tweet in Arabic and English from their official account, the airline company shared a link to its site, which explains how the scheme would work, starting from January 1, 2019.

“At one of our brainstorming sessions we came up with a radical idea that started with a simple fact: on average 46 per cent of the cargo space on our aircraft is not being used,” the company explains on its site.

It goes on to state height and weight requirements – not more than 90kgs and not taller than 180cm – as there is a limit to the weight allowed in a plane’s cargo bay. The larger and shorter among us will have to fly the normal way, it seems.

However, not all our buying this newly announced seating option. Alex Macheras, an aviation analyst, isn't convinced. On Twitter, he posted an official-looking video that explains the idea and added: "FlyADeal say passengers will be able to sit in unused spaces of cargo hold & should 'use bathroom before flight'

"Although they haven't admit it yet...this is a joke...for now!"

It has not yet been clarified from flyadeal yet whether this is all just an elaborate publicity stunt or not. Although stringent safety procedures in the industry will surely stop it in its tracks.

UPDATE:

It's official – flyadeal has announced via Twitter that the launch of 'Cargo Passenger Class' was in fact a joke:

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