Double-decker plane seat inventor shares wild new designs for first and business class

The man who caused controversy with his double-decker seats has unveiled a new design for first and business class.

Airlines are known for wanting to pack their cabins with as many passengers as possible, ensuring to cover popular destinations with bigger planes as they look to financially benefit from people going on their travels.

However, there was an idea from a man to save space with their seats that left people divided - and no, it's not the Ryanair CEO suggesting that standing tickets be added to his flights.

Alejandro Nuñez Vicente is a Spanish designer that introduced the radical design back in 2022, with the concept sending social media wild.

Known as the Chaise Longue Economy Seat project, this was a design that was set to bring the idea of the double decker Airbus A380 to just one floor, and present a new, more economical alternative to that.

Basically, one seat would be placed on top of another on the plane, with higher seats placed above and slightly behind seats, which could be accessed by climbing up a few steps - think siblings sharing a bunk bed.

Lower seats sit behind and in front of these 'upper bunk' seats, with passengers on this level putting their legs and bags in the space underneath this.

But the original design prompted a lot of feedback from the public, with one labelling it as 'incredibly dangerous' on Reddit - forcing Vicente to make a change.

The 25-year old has now introduced a first-class take on his original idea at an aviation show in Germany this month.

The original design was not well received by the public. (Alejandro Nunez Vicente/Instagram)

Vicente created the new design with the help of his girlfriend and business partner, Clara Service Soto.

There is a difference from the economy class design that was introduced two years ago, having just one seat at the bottom and two at the top.

Economy class Chaise Longue seats had three seats on both the top and bottom.

The designer has named the new design 'elevated class', and also includes a lie-flat bed, a lot more legroom and is a lot more secluded.

He introduced the design at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, the same place where he introduced the economy design of the seats to the world.

The company started as a college project following their experiences on too many uncomfortable flights, Vicente explained, as he has struggled to sleep on airplanes in the past due to a lack of space.

The first-class design takes the same principles but has a lot more space. (CNN)

He spoke to CNN, and claimed that a number of big companies are interested in implementing the technology, but refused to disclose who they were, as he said that any further development of the idea will happen behind closed doors.

Vicente stated: “Now that we know economy works, and now that’s moving forward, we thought, ‘Why not go to the other end of the cabin and do a business-class/first-class hybrid?’”

He also outlined what his goal with the company is: “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,” he revealed.

Back in 2022, following criticism from the general public on his economy class design, he shrugged it off, saying: “To be honest, there’s no such thing as bad publicity.”

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