Ryanair's CEO has mentioned standing-only tickets before, though that was probably a publicity stunt. Now Spring Airlines--a low-cost carrier hubbed in Shanghai with service throughout China and East Asia--has requested regulatory approval for standing sections in its cabins.

That's a real first step toward a far-less glamorous future for air transportation.

Up to this point, making the customer experience worse while making the base fare lower has been a good strategy.

Spirit is down to 28" of pitch (the space between seats) on its planes, which is 3-4" less than legacy carriers.