Alejandro Núñez Vicente’s Chaise Longue Airplane Seat was launched on a small scale last year as a college project for the then 21-year-old. Nomination for the Crystal Cabin Awards 2021 – a top award in the aviation industry – quickly followed, and the design became the focus of much online attention following a CNN Travel article. Since then, Núñez Vicente has been making waves in the world of aviation. He has stopped his master’s degree to continue working full time. He is in discussions with major airlines and seat companies. He was given a huge investment that allowed the development of the project. But while some admire Núñez Vicente’s innovation, others reject it, worrying about claustrophobia and convinced that sitting under someone else would be worse, not better, than the current economy of airplanes. “I grow up listening to the critics and listening to the bad reviews, rather than listening to the good reviews and the flowers they throw at me,” Núñez Vicente told CNN Travel in Hamburg, Germany, where he was presenting his design. at the 2022 Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX). His plan is for the everyday traveler, so Núñez Vicente says he wants to hear what aspiring pilots have to say, positive or negative. “My purpose here is to change the financial position for the better of humanity or for all the people who can not afford to pay for more expensive tickets,” he says. Núñez Vicente is set to receive even more comments this week. AIX is one of the biggest air shows in the world and premieres the first prototype of full-scale design. CNN Travel stopped to get a taste of what it might be like to fly in a two-story airplane seat.
TESTING THE CONCEPT
First up, the top level. Núñez Vicente’s designed the prototype with two staircase-like steps for travelers to use to access the upper level. It’s a bit unsafe, but once I’m up there, the seat is spacious and comfortable, and there’s plenty of room to stretch my legs. The original seats do not move, but are placed in different positions to indicate how they could be reclined. Núñez Vicente’s design eliminates the cab above the head. Instead, it has designed a space between the upper and lower levels for travelers to store cabin luggage. In the huge halls of the Hamburg Messe conference center, it is hard to imagine what it would be like to be so close to the cab roof. Núñez Vicente estimates that there will be about 1.5 meters separating the seated passenger from the top of the plane. He argues that while one traveler could not stand in this space, many can no longer stand in normal economy rows – although these taller travelers are likely to drown even more in this plan. Then try the lower row of seats. Núñez Vicente’s frustration with the lack of legroom was the initial impetus for the design, and because I do not have a seat at the same level in front of me, it allows me to stretch my legs and there is a footrest for more comfort. However, because the other level of the seats is just above me and in the line of my eyes, I feel quite claustrophobic. But if you do not mind the cramped spaces and just plan to sleep the whole flight, it could be an effective solution.
NEXT STEPS
The Chaise Longue seat was originally intended for the Flying-V aircraft, a new aircraft philosophy currently being developed at Delft University of Technology, Núñez Vicente’s alma mater. He now estimates that the design could be applied to a Boeing 747, Airbus A330 or any other medium to large wide-body aircraft. Núñez Vicente is ambitious and convinced that his plan could become a reality, but he also acknowledges that unusual ideas for airplane seats do not often make it from idea to reality. It is a time consuming process and strict industry rules and regulations can become obstacles. Moreover, the financial seat of the plane has not really changed for decades, even though there have been many redesigned ideas from the designers. “One of the phrases I get a lot is ‘If it’s not damaged, why change it?’ admits Núñez Vicente. “If passengers are still flying with the worst economy class seats, why give them a better choice? It saves money. That’s the airline’s goal at the end of the day, not to make your flight better.” However, the seat designer is already working on the next step in his process, to design the structure so that it is lighter than the current iteration. He hopes to work with an airline or seat manufacturer to make this happen. “Right now, we’re showing the market what we have. And we’re letting the market come and tell us what to do next,” he says. Núñez Vicente can now work with industry experts with years of experience, but the project started in his bedroom at his parents’ house and his family remains a big part of the process. He is at AIX with his parents nearby – they drove the original Chaise Longue to a truck across Europe and helped him set up the seat in situ. “Of course, in the beginning, no one expected this to get to where we are today. But everyone knew I could do something,” says Núñez Vicente. “If you had asked me before, I would have said that it might just be a university project. If you asked me now, after all the difficulties [work], after all the effort of many, many people – I would say that now this is more of a reality. We see it as the future of the financial position “.
