In a move that surprised no one, the notoriously frugal LowFly Airlines announced their latest cost-cutting measure this week: Passengers are now required to bring their own boarding stairs to get on the plane.
“We believe in empowering our customers,” said Harry Pinchpenny, CEO of LowFly. “This initiative not only helps us maintain our incredibly low ticket prices, but it also offers our passengers the chance to customize their boarding experience.”
Not everyone is thrilled with the announcement. Frequent flyer and travel blogger Cindy Jetsetter shared her skepticism online. “I thought it was a joke when they started charging for oxygen masks,” she tweeted. “Now I need to figure out where to buy boarding stairs and how to fit them in my carry-on.”
Starting next month, passengers without boarding stairs can either:
- Wait for another passenger to share their stairs.
- Attempt to pole vault onto the plane.
- Use the on-board inflatable slide (with a small rental fee).
Early reviews of the “BYOS – Bring Your Own Stairs” policy are mixed. While some budget travelers appreciate the further reduced ticket prices, others have reported challenges. One passenger was seen trying to assemble a ladder made of broomsticks, while another attempted to stack suitcases in a pyramid to reach the plane’s door.
LowFly isn’t stopping at boarding stairs. Rumors suggest that in the spirit of true DIY flight, the airline is considering a “Fly Your Own Plane” program where the passenger with the most flight simulator hours gets a shot at piloting.
LowFly’s marketing team is hard at work promoting the new initiative with slogans like “Reach New Heights – Literally!” and “Get a Step Up on Your Adventure!”
When asked if this might be a safety concern, Pinchpenny responded, “Safety is, of course, our top priority. That’s why we’ll be offering a 5-minute YouTube tutorial on ‘How to Erect Your Boarding Stairs Without Toppling Over.’ Our passengers are in good hands… or, well, on good steps.”
Travel agencies are already taking advantage of this new policy. Adventure tour companies have added “Staircase Construction in the Wild” to their list of excursions, while online retailers are seeing a surge in searches for “portable airplane stairs.”
Only time will tell if this new boarding procedure will take off or if passengers will step down from flying with LowFly. But for now, if you’re booking a flight with them, you might want to consider adding ‘staircase’ to your packing list. Safe travels!
