Airbus Develops Double-Level Aircraft Seats To Add Legroom, But It's Called 'Zona Fart'

Airbus is currently developing innovative solutions (photo: x @UGEZER)

JAKARTA - In the midst of the airline's trend of narrowing the cabin space to increase profits, Airbus is currently developing the world's first innovative double-story aircraft chair.

Chaise Longue, a startup based in Madrid, Spain, is working with the European aerospace giant to introduce a graded chair design with a top-bottom arrangement.

This concept adopts a graded seating array, where one row of seats is placed on a higher platform, while the next row is at a normal level, and so on.

For passengers at the top level, they don't have to worry about interference from people sitting in the back. Meanwhile, passengers at the lower level can enjoy a wider space of feet and even have additional space under the seats in front of them.

However, this design sparked controversy on social media. Some users refer to it as a "bad idea," while others provide sharper criticism.

A Threads user wrote: "The last thing I want when I fly is to get stuck in someone's fart zone."

While user X (formerly Twitter) added: "The best thing about this arrangement is that farting from the chair above will hit your face immediately, so you don't have to wonder where it came from."

Others joked that "hereafter, we will be treated like baggage." One user even vowed: "The day this design begins to be used on an airplane is the day I will only travel as far as I can by car."

Alejandro N wayez Vicente, founder and CEO of Chaise Longue, remains optimistic about this concept despite criticism.

"After four years chasing my dream of improving passenger experience and giving what they really deserve, I am very happy to announce this collaboration," he wrote on LinkedIn.

According to him, this graded chair is part of a "new era of commercial aviation" that offers a wider space and better comfort for passengers.

In response to concerns about unpleasant odors in the cabin, Nölez Vicente said: "With a little common sense and maturity, you should be able to find your own answer."

He also added that the gas "cannot penetrate solid objects such as seat pads, chair covers, and plastic shells."

This proposed concept has several advantages, including:

However, this design also sacrifices several features, including the loss of the baggage compartment overhead to maximize vertical space in the cabin.

According to Vicente, this graded seat will not completely replace the conventional airplane seat. He envisions the cabin layout where the graded chair is in the middle, surrounded by two rows of standard seats.

Airbus itself confirmed this cooperation, but declined to provide further details.

"Chaise Longue is exploring the initial stage concept with Airbus regarding the graded seat solution for Airbus commercial aircraft," said an Airbus spokesperson.