The double-decker airplane seat is back. Here’s what it looks like now

(CNN) - The double-decker airplane seat is making a comeback.

That is—if 23-year-old airplane seat designer Alejandro Núñez Vicente gets his way.

Núñez Vicente is showcasing his design this week at the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg, Germany. He believes his double-level seating is the future of economy flying.

The designer’s concept went viral recently, igniting furious debate on both sides about double-decker seating.

A flurry of reactions from would-be passengers flooded in—some outraged, some bemused, some intrigued, some all of the above.

At AIX 2023, CNN Travel was the first to test out the newest Chaise Longue prototype. They say it’s a little more “real” than last year’s proof of concept.

There are four rows – two top level, two bottom level – and the upcycled airplane seats from 1995 (“they’re older than me,” says Núñez Vicente) actually recline, making it easier to visualize how this structure could work on an actual aircraft.

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