Double-Level Economy Plane Seat Designer Says Airlines Are Interested

• Alejandro Núñez Vicente, 23, designed double-level economy flight seats, known as Chaise Longue.
• The design has gone viral and people seem particularly concerned about smelling farts.
• But according to Vicente, many airlines and manufacturers are interested in his design.

Flying economy could be the worst part of your trip. Spending hours stuffed into a row of cramped seats can be devastatingly uncomfortable, making minutes feel like days. 

That’s why Alejandro Núñez Vicente designed an innovative prototype for economy seating on two levels that would create more space per passenger without reducing the number of passengers on a flight.

The design, called Chaise Longue, received backlash on social media platforms after being displayed at Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany, earlier this month, as Insider previously reported. TikTokers seem particularly concerned with smelling the farts of the people in the top rows, according to another Insider article.

But in a recent interview with Insider, Vicente said many airlines and manufacturers are interested in the design.

“Apart from that fun criticism that you can find on the internet, the overall response is extremely positive. And I’m more sure than ever that this will fly,” he said.

Making the most of an aircraft’s limited space

When Vicente explained exactly why his design for economy seating is a step up from the single-level concept we’re used to, he talked about making the most of an aircraft’s circular shape by taking advantage of its vertical space.

“By putting passengers on two different levels, you can get more space per passenger optimizing the shape of the aircraft,” Vicente said, adding that the levels are not completely on top of each other like a double-decker bus — they’re slightly separated.

Each level offers a different experience, he continued. 

“In the lower row, the seat slides down and you can fully stretch your legs,” he said. He added that this row is ideal for taller passengers who need more legroom and for those who want to sleep through the flight.

While the upper row has less legroom, passengers have more active space for working, watching movies, or playing video games because there is no seat directly in front of you that reclines into that space, he said, adding that it’s ideal for shorter passengers. 

‘Farts are not bullets’

When asked about the internet’s concern about smelling farts from the passenger directly above you, Vicente said these comments are “just noise” and explained why he’s not worried about it.

“First of all, farts are not bullets. Second of all, there is clear separation, a physical separation between seats,” he said. “So it’s like trying to shoot gas through a window —you’re not going to be able to smell it on the other side.”

While Vicente said some concerns floating around social media are silly, he has also received constructive feedback that has helped him improve the design’s previous prototypes. And he welcomes more of it.  

“We had comments in our previous prototype that it was quite claustrophobic in the lower row and this year we completely changed the design of the lower row,” he said. “And I think at the end of the day, that’s part of the designer life and how things are created. You need to iterate multiple times in order to get a final result that everyone is happy with.”

It’s also important to note that if you don’t like the design, you don’t have to book it, Vicente added, as the double-level seating would only apply to the middle row of seats, leaving the window rows on either side at one level.

“In my opinion, it’s better just because we’re giving you more options. It doesn’t mean that you have to take all of them or like all of them, but at least you have a choice now,” he said.