The new and improvised double-decker seat design for airplanes by 23-year-old Alejandro Núñez Vicente is back, this time at an Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Germany's Hamburg.
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As the images of Vicente's concept known as “Chaise Longue” went viral, it ignited a flurry of reactions from would be passengers on social media. Some liked the innovative concept centered to solve legroom crunch while others found it difficult to imagine sitting right below another passenger due to flatulence concerns. “To be honest, there’s no such thing as bad publicity,” Vicente told CNN. “People can talk and they always hate innovation in some ways. Most of the times when they show you something new, everyone hates it at first, they’re scared of change. But the more you show it, and the more you develop it, and the more they see it, the more they get used to it.”
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The design journey
Vicente's concept emerged when he designed it for a college project in 2021. His concept won him a nomination for Crystal Cabin Awards-a top prize in the aviation industry – and helped it reach the public consciousness. Following the success of his brainchild, he paused his master’s degree and put all his time, money, and efforts into making his vision a reality.
{{/usCountry}}Vicente's concept emerged when he designed it for a college project in 2021. His concept won him a nomination for Crystal Cabin Awards-a top prize in the aviation industry – and helped it reach the public consciousness. Following the success of his brainchild, he paused his master’s degree and put all his time, money, and efforts into making his vision a reality.
{{/usCountry}}At 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 meters), Vicente has spent many a cramped flight struggling for legroom and failing to sleep. He said he designed the Chaise Longue to solve the airplane seat conundrum, not make it worse.
What's appealing the airlines?
A graduate of Brunel University London, the designer admitted that for airlines, the appeal of the Chaise Longue is the increased passenger headcount.
“Many airlines and many big players of the industry are trying to push us to put more passengers into the aircraft," he revealed. “It’s not our main priority and our main goal, but with this kind of design it’s also possible.”