The airplane seat with two levels resurfaces, now offered in a premium version.

The double-decker plane seat is resurfacing, now available in a premium class.

The double-level airplane seat is back, but this time, it's better than ever.

Alejandro Nuñez Vicente, a designer who's passionate about the future of flying, believes that the double-level seating in economy class is the key to the aviation industry's success. He's dedicated his twenties to perfecting this concept, and now he's taking it to the next level - a luxury version for first-class and business-class passengers.

"Now that we know economy works, and now that it's moving forward, we thought, 'Why not go to the other end of the cabin and do a business-class/first-class hybrid?'" Nuñez Vicente told CNN Travel at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany, where he displayed the latest iteration of his design.

Nuñez Vicente's idea still centers around removing the overhead lockers to create two levels of seating in one cabin. However, this new concept - dubbed "elevated class" - envisions just one seat on the bottom row, and two on the top in a couch-style configuration. Each row is designed to be cozy, private, and offer the luxury features found in first- and business-class cabins - a lie-flat bed, privacy, and ample legroom.

His main goal?

"To 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."

Controversy and criticism

Nuñez Vicente showed his economy class design at AIX in Hamburg for the third time. It caught the attention of people all over the world, sparking conversations about the challenges of adjusting to a new way of flying. These discussions included concerns about claustrophobia, safety, and accessibility, as well as the general feeling of being uncomfortably close to another passenger.

However, Nuñez Vicente remains optimistic, unbothered by the negativity, quoting the old adage that "there's no such thing as bad publicity."

"Most of the things that changed the world are normally from radical people who come with a crazy idea, like Steve Jobs with the iPhone," he says.

CNN's Francesca Street, pictured center, tested out the economy prototype of the Chaise Longue seat in 2023.. Chaise Longue's double-decker airplane seating design drew heavy criticism when it debuted in 2022. CNN Travel's Francesca Street tried out an updated prototype to see if sitting below the person in front of you could be the future of air travel.

Many of the negative comments were movie-quality jokes about the potential for undesirable bodily functions in such a confined space. But Nuñez Vicente doesn't seem fazed by these criticisms.

"A lot of people think I'm crazy, but within the aviation industry, my reputation is growing," he says. "There are a few 'big players' interested in developing the economy concept. That's why you won't see the economy prototype here - any further development will happen behind closed doors."

Nuñez Vicente and his business partner and girlfriend, Clara Service Soto, have received numerous offers to join major airlines and seat manufacturers, but they're dedicated to turning their vision into a reality.

"We're talking to the biggest players," says Nuñez Vicente. "They know this is going to happen sooner or later."

Creating first-class comfort for all

While some may say he's only trying to help airlines make more money and cram more seats on planes, Nuñez Vicente insists his mission revolves around "more comfort" for all travelers.

Nuñez Vicente became involved in the aviation industry when he was just 21, and Chaise Longue was nothing more than a college project inspired by the cramped flights he endured. When he realized he could remove the seat row directly in front and put it on top to allow more legroom, it was an idea that captured his imagination.

As a 6'2" man, he's no stranger to the discomfort of long-haul flights. By creating two levels of seating in one cabin, he believes all passengers can enjoy a more comfortable experience.

"It's a bonus that it could also provide airlines with a new way to make more money out of those passengers or put more seats in, but that wasn't my focus," he says. "I've always been on a quest for more comfort."

With his latest prototype, decked out in high-end fabrics sponsored by Tapis, Nuñez Vicente is demonstrating that his groundbreaking concept is getting the recognition it deserves among aviation giants. "[We're] talking to the biggest players," he concludes confidently.

He recognizes that airlines have traditionally invested in premium products, not economy class. This is why every airline's economy class appears quite similar, while business class and first class come with various luxurious features like Singapore Airlines' double bed suite or Emirates' virtual reality windows.

Chaise Longue presents an "elevated class" that Nuñez Vicente refers to as "a first-class experience with a business-class layout." This is part of Nuñez Vicente's plan to "revolutionize the entire aircraft," starting with economy class and now premier cabins.

He prefers to avoid using the terms "double-decker" or "double level" and instead suggests calling it "3D seating." While Nuñez Vicente envisions a future where dual level seating exists throughout the plane, he doesn't propose removing traditional seats entirely. Instead, he envisions Chaise Longue seats situated in the center of each cabin, with regular seating on either side.

Testing the Concept

During AIX 2024, CNN Travel was the first to try out the latest Chaise Longue prototype. This iteration is smaller than last year's, with only three seats on display instead of the previous twelve. While the dual level concept is still essential to the design, it appears more conventional compared to other aircraft seating options.

We first tried out the lower level. Nuñez Vicente intended to create a "fully private space that can be completely enclosed from the top to the bottom." This seat offers plenty of space to convert into a lie-flat bed and has a footwell that can accommodate suitcases. The lower level has a more secluded feel than last year's prototype, providing a sense of relaxation and privacy for long-haul flights.

Nuñez Vicente's vision includes getting rid of the overhead lockers. This idea might seem strange in a premium class, but storage spaces are more common in business and first-class cabins. Instead, there's ample room underneath the seat and beneath the footwell to store large suitcases.

Next, we examined the upper level, which provides an extra-wide seat that can be converted to a lie-flat bed for one or two passengers, depending on preference. It features a couch-style layout, perfect for passengers who want additional space or to travel with a companion.

Here's the lower level of the business-class/first-class version of the dual-level seat concept.

"We wanted to make the experience as homey as possible," says Nuñez Vicente about the upper level. "The amount of space you get is significantly larger than what you would get in any business or first class."

Although the top level may not be suitable for every passenger, Nuñez Vicente ensures that the spacious lower level is accessible to wheelchair users, people with reduced mobility, and those traveling with animals. He emphasizes that the upper level would be safe, even with the close proximity to the ceiling, and encourages travelers to wear seatbelts.

It's challenging to decide between the top and bottom level seats. Both seem appealing for different reasons: the lower level may be more suitable for sleeping during long flights, while the upper level is ideal for a daytime flight focused on watching movies and relaxing on the coach-style seating.

Nuñez Vicente does not set a price for either seat row, reflecting the airline's responsibility to determine pricing.

Looking Forward

Nuñez Vicente eagerly awaits feedback from airlines at AIX. He explains, "Up to 85% of the seat is customizable." Any airline investing in the product could personalize the design to fit their brand. He acknowledges the quest for airworthiness could be a lengthy process, but remains optimistic that this concept may one day become a reality.

Nuñez Vicente remains focused on improving the economy class experience, even if the "elevated class" Chaise Longue takes off first. Furthermore, he's curious about what the public's reaction to this premium version will be, despite his belief that it may be less criticized than past efforts.

"We're ready to take another risk and see what happens," he says. "With each passing year, we're putting our reputation and our name on the line in the aviation industry to see if we can truly bring about change."

Here's Núñez Vicente demonstrating what it's like to lie flat in the lower level seat.

Here's Clara Service Soto, who works on the Chaise Longue as the project’s Chief Operating Officer, demonstrating the top level of the premium-cabin seat.

Read also:

The premium class version of the double-decker plane seat is being developed by Alejandro Nuñez Vicente for first-class and business-class passengers.

With the introduction of this luxury double-decker seating, economy class passengers might anticipate an upgrade in the future.

Source: edition.cnn.com