As travelers continue to grumble about cramped legroom, one aviation company seems to have taken notice—though their proposed solution is stirring debate.
Airlines are packing more seats into their jets to maximize profits, often at the expense of passenger comfort, leaving flyers feeling wedged in like sardines.
There’s nothing worse than starting your trip feeling squished in a metal tube surrounded by strangers—add a crying baby or a restless toddler kicking your seat, and you might start second-guessing your travel plans.
However, relief could be on the horizon, as Airbus is reportedly exploring a bold new concept: double-decker seating.
Chaise Lounge, a Madrid-based startup, has teamed up with the European aerospace giant Airbus to test a bold new double-decker seating concept.
Designed to maximize space and free up those precious extra inches for passengers’ legs, the layout staggers seating across two levels. The first row remains at the usual height, while the row behind is elevated on a raised platform.
However, the design has already sparked controversy among travelers who have pointed out a rather unfortunate flaw.
For starters, those seated on the upper level can recline freely without worrying about disturbing anyone behind them, while passengers on the lower level are deprived of that luxury.
To compensate, the bottom row offers extra legroom, but critics have noted a major downside—those seated below find themselves awkwardly positioned at head height with the rear end of the person in front.
As a result, the design has earned the unfortunate nickname the fart zone—a scenario some argue is even worse than dealing with cramped seats or a kicking toddler.
Twitter users wasted no time mocking the concept, with one calling it an “a**hat idea,” while others joked that lower-deck passengers would be in the “line of fire.”
“Not gonna fly with someone’s butt in front of my nose,” one user quipped. “Sorry.”
Another joked, “They’re going to charge you a premium to avoid the a*-in-the-face row, aren’t they?”*
A third chimed in, “One fart away from the No Fly list.”
Despite the backlash, the multi-level seating concept has a strong supporter in Alejandro Núñez Vicente, CEO and founder of Chaise Longue, who remains optimistic about the project. He revealed that the company is in the early stages of exploring the idea with Airbus.
In a LinkedIn post, he shared his excitement, writing: “After 4 exciting years pursuing my dream of improving the passenger experience and giving passengers what they truly deserve, today I am very excited to make [this] announcement.”
“It’s the dawn of a new era for commercial aviation, so I hope you are as excited as we are about this announcement. Soon, you could be soaring through the skies in a more comfortable, spacious, and two-level seat.”
When questioned about concerns over passengers being uncomfortably close to others’ rear ends, Vicente had a blunt response: “With some common sense and maturity, you should be able to find your answer.”
He further explained, “Gas in general doesn’t go through solid objects like seat cushions, seat covers, and plastic shells.”
Beyond this concept, the CEO told CNN that his ultimate goal is to revolutionize airplane seating entirely, envisioning a future where traditional layouts are replaced with a two-tiered system.