If you’ve ever seen images of the infamous double-level airplane seat concept and thought, “That’s never going to happen,” you may want to reconsider. Aviation start-up Chaise Longue, the company behind the controversial dual-level seat, has revealed that it is currently “exploring some early-stage concepts” with aerospace giant Airbus.
This collaboration marks a significant step forward for the unique seating design, which has evolved from a college student project to the potential of becoming a reality in commercial aircraft. Alejandro Núñez Vicente, the designer and CEO of Chaise Longue, expressed his excitement, telling CNN Travel that he is grateful Airbus recognizes “the true potential of two-level seating.”
An Airbus representative confirmed to CNN Travel that the two companies are working on early-stage concepts for two-level seating solutions specifically for Airbus commercial aircraft. However, the representative also clarified that, given the early phase of this collaboration, Airbus prefers “not to further comment at this stage.”
This development brings fresh hope to a concept that was once seen as a novelty but may now be closer to reality, as the design is explored by one of the aviation industry’s biggest players. While it remains to be seen how this innovative seating might look in a real-world flight, the partnership with Airbus signals that the dream of double-level seating could one day take off.