2024-05-28 16:44:00
Hamburg, Germany (CNN) — It is the airplane seat design that has spawned hundreds of memes, began a media storm, and turn out to be synonymous with innovation in aviation, for higher or worse.
And now the two-story airplane seat is again, although this time with a twist.
Designer Alejandro Núñez Vicente strongly believes that double decker seats are the way forward for aviation. He spent his twenties perfecting his imaginative and prescient for two-level seats in financial system class. Now he’s targeted on the following model of his dream: a luxurious model for top quality and enterprise class passengers.
“Now that we all know it really works in financial system class, and now that it is shifting ahead, we thought, ‘Why do not you go to the opposite finish of the cabin and make a hybrid of enterprise class and top quality?'” says Núñez Vicente, talking to CNN Journey on the Plane Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg, Germany, one of many largest aviation reveals on this planet, the place he’s displaying the newest iteration of his design.
Núñez Vicente’s concept stays the identical: to eradicate the overhead compartment to create two ranges of seating in a cabin, with one passenger sitting straight under one other.
However whereas the financial system class idea envisages three seats within the higher and decrease rows, this new idea, referred to as “elevated class”, offers one seat within the decrease row and two within the higher row in a sofa-type configuration. Every suite is designed to be secluded, personal and consists of the posh options of world-class journey: a king-size mattress, privateness and loads of legroom.
The aim, in keeping with Núñez Vicente?
“Create more room for extra seats on the aircraft. However give passengers a fair higher expertise than they’ve at present in enterprise or top quality.”
‘There isn’t any unhealthy publicity’
That is the third time for Núñez Vicente to current his imaginative and prescient on the AIX in Hamburg. Following the CNN Journey exclusivity in 2022 and 2023, the financial system class model of its design attracted numerous consideration, feedback and controversy.
At evening conferences and bulletin boards, potential passengers mentioned fears of claustrophobia, problems with security and accessibility, and, generally, the concept of being bodily near different vacationers.
However Núñez Vicente is unfazed by the criticism and firmly believes within the outdated saying “there isn’t a unhealthy publicity.”
“A lot of the issues that modified the world normally come from radical individuals who provide you with a loopy concept, like Steve Jobs with the iPhone,” says Núñez Vicente.
Lots of the feedback had been joking, he says, slightly than severe or constructive criticism. “They had been primarily referring to what would occur if the passengers had gasoline.”
And whereas Núñez Vicente is conscious that the typical citizen would possibly assume he’s “loopy”, within the aviation sector his status is rising.
Núñez Vicente doesn’t need to identify names, however he says that a couple of “large gamers” are very within the growth of the idea of economics (which is why there isn’t a prototype economics on show at this yr’s AIX; Núñez Vicente says that any additional growth can be accomplished behind closed doorways).
In the meantime, Núñez Vicente and his associate and girlfriend, Clara Service Soto, obtain “dream job” provides from airways and seat producers (rejecting all of them, since they’re dedicated to realizing their authentic imaginative and prescient ).
And on this third version of the Plane Interiors Expo, Núñez Vicente’s newest prototype is a neighbor of a number of the most essential corporations on this planet of airplane seats: Recaro and Safran. As well as, Chaise Longue is now sponsored by Tapis, an organization that provides high-quality materials for plane interiors, and this yr’s prototype is supplied with luxurious supplies.
“We’re speaking to the large guys,” says Núñez Vicente. “They know that is going to occur eventually.”
Top notch journey
Though his detractors level out that his solely aim is to make airways more cash and match extra seats on planes, Núñez Vicente insists that he has at all times sought “extra consolation”.
Though Núñez Vicente is on his technique to turning into an aviation professional, Chaise Longue continues to be a start-up, run by Núñez Vicente and Service Soto with the assistance of their supportive households. And never way back Núñez Vicente entered the sector as a 21-year-old scholar: the unique Chaise Longue was only a college venture impressed by a sequence of uncomfortable financial system class flights.
At 1.88 meters tall, Núñez Vicente was used to aircraft journeys the place it was tough for him to seek out leg room and sleep. It occurred to him that the passengers may stretch their legs ahead and take extra legroom from the row of seats straight in entrance of him and put him on prime as a substitute.
The truth that this idea “may give the airline a brand new supply of revenue or a brand new technique to get more cash from these passengers or to place extra seats” is a bonus, though Núñez Vicente understands that it’s a pretty benefit for the airways. .
He additionally is aware of that traditionally, airways spend cash on premium merchandise, not financial system class. Unsurprisingly, financial system class on all airways is kind of the identical, and enterprise and elite are available all kinds of quirky shapes, from Singapore Airways’ double-bed sky suite to Emirates’ digital actuality home windows.
The “elevated class” of Chaise Longue is, in keeping with Núñez Vicente, “a firstclass expertise with a enterprise class format.” It is a part of Núñez Vicente’s effort to “revolutionize the entire airplane” – first financial system, now first-class cabins.
It additionally tries to maneuver away from the “double decker” and “double degree” label, suggesting that the idea might be referred to as “3D seating”. Though Núñez Vicente envisions a future the place there are two-level seats all through the aircraft, he isn’t suggesting that airways utterly eliminate common seats. Núñez Vicente imagines Chaise Longue seats in the midst of every cabin, with regular seats on both aspect.
Check the idea
That is the decrease degree of the enterprise/top quality model of the bi-level seating idea. Credit score: Francesca Avenue/CNN
At AIX 2024, CNN Journey was the primary to check the brand new Chaise Longue prototype. It’s smaller than final yr’s prototype: solely three seats are on show, in comparison with twelve final yr. At first look, the idea seems to be extra conventional, though the bi-level idea continues to be an integral a part of the design and really totally different from something at the moment skilled on an plane.
Very first thing: strive the decrease degree. The aim of this decrease seat, says Núñez Vicente, was to “create a very personal area that may be utterly closed from prime to backside.” It’s a spacious seat that converts right into a mattress and, just like the vacationer model, there may be numerous legroom that lets you stretch your legs below the higher degree.
This is Núñez Vicente displaying what it is prefer to lie within the backside seat. Credit score: Francesca Avenue/CNN
Whereas the decrease degree of final yr’s financial system class prototype seemed slightly claustrophobic, this idea leans extra in the direction of secluded and personal than cramped and oppressive. After all, it is onerous to think about the way you’d really feel understanding there’s somebody sitting proper above you, however the spaciousness and isolation of your personal makes it appear fairly straightforward to zone out and sleep. to get on a long-haul flight. As well as, there isn’t a sense that the higher degree is straight in your line of sight, however as a substitute there’s a wall with area for a TV display, which is a couple of meters away.
The idea of Chaise Longue entails the elimination of overhead bins, an idea that appears much less uncommon in the next class, the place different storage areas reminiscent of closets are extra widespread. In Núñez Vicente’s design, there may be sufficient area below the seat and below the footboard to retailer giant fits.
Then, the highest degree, which provides an additional broad seat, reclining, which may accommodate one passenger searching for a bit of more room, or two passengers preferring to get snug. It’s a couch sort association which can be appropriate for vacationers touring with a companion.
Clara Service Soto, who works on the Chaise Longue because the venture’s director of operations, reveals the higher degree of the premium cabin seats. Credit score: Francesca Avenue/CNN
“We wished the expertise to be as welcoming as attainable,” says Núñez Vicente of this excessive degree. “You might have more room than you’d have in any enterprise or top quality.”
Núñez Vicente is conscious that the higher degree, which is accessed by climbing steps, is not going to be appropriate for some passengers, however he says the big decrease degree is designed to be accessible to wheelchair customers, anybody with a lowered mobility and for folks touring with a service. animals. He additionally insists that the higher degree can be protected, regardless of being so near the roof, and encourages passengers to put on their seat belts.
It’s tough to guage whether or not the higher or decrease seat is extra engaging. After testing each choices, the decrease degree appears extra appropriate for sleeping on a long-haul flight, whereas the higher degree could also be extra engaging for a daytime flight the place you may watch films and lounge in coach seat.
Nonetheless, some would possibly argue that neither seat is as engaging as a firstclass or enterprise class row in a daily cabin configuration, the place all seats stay on the identical degree. As a designer, Núñez Vicente says he “would by no means put a worth” on both set of seats.
Ready for feedback
Núñez Vicente is eager to listen to from airways on AIX (“as much as 85% of the seat may be customised,” he says, and any airline that invested within the product may put its personal stamp on the design) .
He is aware of that Chaise Longue’s path to airworthiness could also be lengthy, however he’s assured that sooner or later it would turn out to be a actuality.
He’s at all times obsessed with enhancing the expertise for premium passengers, and says that even when the “elevated class” Chaise Longue succeeds first, he’ll proceed to work to make the financial system a actuality.
It’s also unusual to get public opinion. He hopes this premium model can be much less annoying, however admits you by no means know.
“We’ll put our status on the road and see the way it seems,” he says. “Yearly that passes we put our status on the road, our identify within the aviation business, to see if we will actually make a change.”
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