HAMBURG, GERMANY -- It鈥檚 the airplane seat design that launched a thousand memes, kickstarted a media storm and became a byword for innovation in aviation, for better or for worse.
And now the double-level airplane seat is back 鈥 only this time, with a twist.
Designer Alejandro Nunez Vicente remains a fervent believer that two-level seating is the future of flying. He鈥檚 spent his twenties 鈥 all five years of them so far 鈥 perfecting his vision for economy class dual-level seating. Now he鈥檚 focused on the next iteration of his dream: a luxury version for first-class and business-class passengers.
鈥淣ow that we know economy works, and now that鈥檚 moving forward, we thought, 鈥榃hy not go to the other end of the cabin and do a business-class/first-class hybrid?鈥 says Nunez Vicente, speaking to CNN Travel at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany, one of the world鈥檚 biggest aviation shows, where he鈥檚 showcasing the latest iteration of his design.
The crux of Nunez Vicente鈥檚 vision remains the same: removing the overhead locker to create two levels of airplane seating in one cabin 鈥 with one passenger seated directly below another.
But while the economy class concept imagines three seats on the top and bottom rows, this new concept, called 鈥渆levated class,鈥 envisages just one seat on the bottom row, and two on the top in a couch-style configuration. Each row is designed to be secluded, private and include the luxury trappings of elite travel 鈥 lie-flat bed, privacy and copious leg room.
The goal, according to Nunez Vicente?
鈥淭o make more space for more seats in the airplane. But also give the passengers an even better experience than they get today in business or first class.鈥
鈥楴o such thing as bad publicity鈥
This is Nunez Vicente鈥檚 third time showcasing his vision at AIX in Hamburg. Following CNN Travel exclusives in 2022 and 2023, the economy iteration of his design attracted a lot of attention, chatter and controversy.
On late-night chat shows and message boards alike, would-be passengers debated fears of claustrophobia, questions about safety and accessibility 鈥 and just generally recoiled at the idea of being in close physical proximity to another traveller.
But Nunez Vicente remains unperturbed by criticism, a steadfast believer in the old adage that 鈥渢here鈥檚 no such thing as bad publicity.鈥
鈥淢ost of the things that changed the world are normally from radical people that come with a crazy idea 鈥 like Steve Jobs with the iPhone,鈥 says Nunez Vicente.
A lot of the comments were in jest, he suggests, rather than serious or constructive criticism. They were mostly about what would happen if passengers passed wind.
And while Nunez Vicente appreciates that the average 鈥減erson on the street,鈥 might think he鈥檚 鈥渃razy鈥 鈥 within the aviation industry, his reputation is growing.
Nunez Vicente won鈥檛 name any names, but he says a handful of 鈥渂ig players鈥 are seriously interested in developing the economy concept (that鈥檚 why there鈥檚 no economy prototype on display at this year鈥檚 AIX 鈥 Nunez Vicente says any further development will happen behind closed doors).
Meanwhile Nunez Vicente and his business partner and girlfriend Clara Service Soto are regularly approached with 鈥渄ream job鈥 offers from airlines and seat manufacturers (all turned down 鈥 they鈥檙e committed to making the original vision a reality).
And at this 鈥 his third Aircraft Interiors Expo 鈥 Nunez Vicente鈥檚 latest prototype neighbours some of the biggest players in the airplane seat world 鈥 Recaro and Safran. Plus, Chaise Longue is now sponsored by Tapis 鈥 a company that supplies high-quality fabrics for aircraft interiors 鈥 and this year鈥檚 prototype is kitted out in luxury materials.
鈥淲e鈥檙e talking to the biggest players,鈥 says Nunez Vicente.鈥漈hey know this is going to happen sooner or later.鈥
First class travel
While his detractors suggest his sole goal is to make airlines more money and cram more seats on planes, Nunez Vicente insists he鈥檚 always been on a quest for 鈥渕ore comfort.鈥
While Nunez Vicente is now on his way to becoming an aviation insider, Chaise Longue is still a start-up, run by Nunez Vicente and Service Soto with help from their supportive families. And it鈥檚 not long since Nunez Vicente first entered the industry as a 21-year-old student 鈥 the original Chaise Longue was simply a college project inspired by a slew of uncomfortable economy flights.
At 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 meters), Nunez Vicente was used to cramped airplane journeys in which he struggled for legroom and struggled to sleep. He figured by removing the seat row directly in front, and putting it on top instead, travellers could stretch out their legs in front of them and enjoy more leg room.
The fact this concept could also 鈥済ive the airline a new revenue stream or a new way to make more money out of those passengers or put more seats in鈥 is a bonus 鈥 although Nunez Vicente is aware it鈥檚 an attractive bonus for airlines.
He鈥檚 also aware that airlines historically invest money in premium products 鈥 not economy class. It鈥檚 not for nothing that every airline鈥檚 economy class is more or less identical, whereas business class and first class come in all sorts of swanky forms 鈥 from Singapore Airlines鈥 double bed suite in the sky to Emirates鈥 virtual reality windows.
Enter Chaise Longue鈥檚 鈥渆levated class鈥 which Nunez Vicente calls a 鈥渇irst-class experience with a business-class layout.鈥 It鈥檚 part of Nunez Vicente鈥檚 quest to 鈥渞evolutionize the entire aircraft鈥 鈥 first economy, now the premier cabins.
He鈥檚 also trying to move away from the 鈥渄ouble decker鈥 and 鈥渄ouble level鈥 label, suggesting the concept could be referred to as 鈥3D seating.鈥 While Nunez Vicente envisages a future where dual level seating exists throughout the aircraft, he鈥檚 not proposing airlines get rid of regular seats altogether. He imagines the Chaise Longue seats in the middle of each cabin, flanked by regular seating on either side.
Testing out the concept
At AIX 2024, CNN Travel was the first to test out the newest Chaise Longue prototype. It鈥檚 smaller than last year鈥檚 prototype 鈥 only three seats on display versus last year鈥檚 twelve. At first glance, the concept seems more conventional 鈥 although the dual level concept remains integral to the design and strikingly different from anything you鈥檙e currently experiencing on an aircraft.
First up: trialing the lower level. The aim for this bottom seat, says Nunez Vicente, was to create 鈥渁 fully private space that can be completely enclosed all the way from the top to the bottom.鈥 It鈥檚 a spacious seat that converts into a lie-flat bed 鈥 and like the economy iteration, there鈥檚 a roomy footwell allowing you to stretch out your legs in front of you underneath the upper level.
While last year鈥檚 economy prototype鈥檚 lower level felt pretty claustrophobic 鈥 this concept leans more towards secluded and private than narrow and oppressive. Of course, it鈥檚 hard to actually judge how you鈥檇 actually feel knowing someone was seated directly above you 鈥 but the spaciousness and seclusion of having your own compartment makes it seem like it鈥檇 be pretty easy to switch off and get some sleep on a long-haul flight. There鈥檚 also less of a sense of the upper level being directly in your eyeline 鈥 instead, there鈥檚 a wall with space for a TV screen, which is a good couple of meters away.
The Chaise Longue concept involves eradicating the overhead lockers 鈥 a concept which seems less outrageous in a premium class, where alternative storage areas like closets are more common. In Nunez Vicente鈥檚 design, there鈥檚 plenty of space underneath the seat and underneath the footwell to store large suitcases.
Next up, the upper level 鈥 which offers an extra-wide seat, lie-flat seat that could accommodate one passenger looking for a bit more space, or two passengers who are happy getting cozy. It鈥檚 a couch-style set-up that could be ideal for travellers travelling with a plus-one.
鈥淲e wanted to make the experience as homey as possible,鈥 says Nunez Vicente of this upper level. 鈥淭he amount of real estate that you鈥檙e getting is so much bigger than the one you would get in any business or first class.鈥
Nunez Vicente is aware the upper level, which is reached by walking up steps, won鈥檛 be appropriate for some passengers, but says the spacious lower level has been designed to be accessible to wheelchair users, anyone with reduced mobility and people travelling with service animals. He also insists the upper level would be safe, despite the proximity to the ceiling, and encourages passengers to wear seatbelts.
It鈥檚 hard to judge whether the top or bottom level seat is more appealing. From trialing both options, it seems like the lower level might be more suitable for sleeping on a long-haul flight, while the top level could be more appealing for a daytime flight spent watching movies and relaxing on the coach-style seat.
Still, some might argue neither seat is as appealing as a straightforward, swanky first-class or business-class suite in a regular cabin configuration 鈥 where all the seats remain on one level. As a designer, Nunez Vicente says he would 鈥渘ever put a price鈥 on either seat row, suggesting that鈥檚 an airline鈥檚 job.
Awaiting feedback
Nunez Vicente is excited to get feedback from airlines at AIX (鈥渦p to 85 per cent of the seat is customizable,鈥 he says, and any airline who invested in the product could put their own stamp on the design). He knows the Chaise Longue鈥檚 quest for airworthiness might be a long road, but he鈥檚 confident it could be a reality one day 鈥 and airline feedback is integral to that.
He鈥檚 still passionate about improving the experience for economy flyers, and says even if the 鈥渆levated class鈥 Chaise Longue makes it off the ground first, he鈥檒l continue to work to make the economy class a reality.
He鈥檚 also curious to hear what the general public has to say on the concept too. He hopes this premium version will be less maligned, but admits that you never do know.
鈥淲e will put our reputation on the line, again, and see how it turns out,鈥 he says. 鈥淓very year that passes we are putting our reputation, our name in the aviation industry on the line to see if we can really make a change.鈥
