Alejandro Núñez Vicente, a 23-year-old designer, believes his Chaise Lounge is the future of economy flying.
He is currently in talks with sponsors looking for partnership deals and is part of constant discussions with bigwigs in the business, a CNN report states.
For Vincente, the entire thing had started off as a college project, when he was 21 and was nominated for the Crystal Cabin Awards, and getting a positive response, he paused his master's degree, deciding to pour all time, money, and efforts into his vision.
He has currently showcased an updated model at the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg, Germany.
Vicente has also launched the Chaise Lounge in the Metaverse collaborating with 3DSeatMap VR for users to design and inspect it virtually, seeking feedback from everyday travellers.
He explained that his design is not meant to eradicate economy seating completely, adding that he envisions the cabin to contain the Chaise Lounge with two rows of regular seats on each side.
While his goal is to make the experience more comfortable, he also admits that the major attraction for airlines would be the increased number of passengers. By adding additional legroom, he hopes to solve the problem of cramped space in aeroplanes.
However, not everyone has taken to Vicente's vision, with a Mint report quoting a traveller saying "If planes will be designed like that in the future, I'd prefer to walk and/or row a boat to wherever I need to go," while another added, "Now I can spill my drink on me and the stranger below me."
The designer remains confident however, telling CNN that no publicity is bad publicity and detractors will eventually embrace the new development.
People who tested the prototype said the upper level was spacious but showed concern about the smaller spaces at lower levels.
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