New Double-Level Airplane Seat Concept Unveiled at AIX 2026

Is the Chaise Longue seat the future of economy flying or a psychological nightmare no airline will ever adopt?

Published APR 15

New Double-Level Airplane Seat Concept Unveiled at AIX 2026

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Above: Chaise Longue seating prototype unveiled at the 2026 Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany. Image credit: MindVoyager/X

The Facts

Spanish startup Chaise Longue unveiled its latest "Comfort Class" prototype at the 2026 Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg, Germany, with designer Alejandro Núñez Vicente describing the full-scale mock-up as "the ultimate mock-up that we can create at our level of a startup."
Simple Flying
CNN
New York Post
The Chaise Longue concept features two stacked rows of seating made possible by removing the overhead cabin. The upper level includes six inches of added pitch and 12 inches of recline, while the lower level offers a total pitch of close to two meters and a sliding footrest.
CNN
Simple Flying
The latest design addresses earlier privacy concerns by adding a panel behind upper-level seats to improve separation. The front row has also been adapted for passengers with reduced mobility, drawing on concepts that allow wheelchair users to remain in their own chairs during a flight.
El Balad
CNN
Chaise Longue conducted passenger testing in Madrid in March with 150 participants. More than 90% said they would pay twice the economy fare to sit in the lower row on a long-haul flight, with some participants comparing the lower seat to a business class product.
Nomad Lawyer
Simple Flying
Núñez Vicente originally envisioned the Chaise Longue as a budget economy seat, but feedback from airline executives has pushed the concept toward premium economy. He envisions the dual-level seats placed in the center of a wide-body cabin, flanked by standard economy seating on either side.
Daily Mail
CNN
No airline or manufacturer has committed to producing the seat, and Airbus has described its involvement as exploring "early stage concepts." Núñez Vicente has said he hopes to secure partners at AIX 2026 and present a pre-production prototype at the following year's expo.
Euro Weekly News
Daily Galaxy
CNN

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The Spin

Techno-optimist narrative

The Chaise Longue concept is the most promising evolution yet of stacked airplane seating design, offering economy passengers lie-flat comfort that's always been locked behind business class prices. Designer Alejandro Núñez Vicente has spent years refining this dual-level seat, addressing privacy, accessibility and space concerns with every iteration. Airline CEOs are already paying attention, and Airbus is actively exploring the concept. This upgraded design has real potential.

Nomad Lawyer

CNN

Techno-skeptic narrative

Stacking passengers on top of each other triggers deep psychological discomfort. The infamous "fart zone" nickname isn't just a joke, it's a gut-level rejection of a design that violates basic human dignity and personal space. Real travelers at airports call it coffin-like and raise legitimate emergency evacuation concerns. No airline has committed to building this seat, and the psychological barriers alone make mass adoption a serious uphill battle.