Angry TikTokers are tearing apart a new 'double-decker' airplane seat prototype, calling it claustrophobic and predicting bad smells would travel from passengers above

People are worried the new seat design might lead to people inhaling bad smells from a passenger above and cause painful bumps during turbulence.

• The unveiling of a new double-decker airplane seat prototype has sparked backlash on TikTok.
• People say the design would be uniquely unpleasant, even if it provides more legroom.
• The design was originally previewed last year and received similar criticisms.

TikTokers are making fun of a new prototype for double-decker economy class airplane seats, saying it would be claustrophobic and lead to terrible smells for anyone sitting under them.

The widespread backlash started after CNN shared a clip previewing the new seats at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany, earlier this month.

In the June 6 video, the CNN travel writer Francesca Street interviewed Alejandro Nunez Vicente, the mastermind behind the baffling seat design that resembles seats on a rollercoaster.

Street said Vicente fast-premiered the prototype last year, but it was criticized for being claustrophobic, which Vicente said shocked him. 

"We have actually improved the design quite a lot in order for you to have much more space for the legs, be able to fully stretch them, have much more legroom and storage space for your luggage down there, and also to have a nicer and more complete passenger experience," he said.

Street said some airlines are interested in the product but that it's likely people won't see them deployed anytime soon. She praised the extra personal space but said the lower row "does feel a bit tight" and noted people may still fight for elbow space.

TikTokers have had a field day ridiculing the prototype and listing out all the reasons it should not be implemented on flights. Viewers' most frequent concerns seemed to be how claustrophobic it looks to be seated underneath a row of seats, and that people above could pass gas into the faces of those on the lower level.

Others were concerned about how turbulence could make someone sitting below whack their head on a seat above, or cause additional issues for people who can't easily get in or out of the top layer of seating.

"Accessibility nightmare! 50% of your seats would be difficult for many people to access," a commenter wrote on the CNN video. "It would require significant overhaul of booking services."

"What about the leg room in the upper tier? Zero!" another detractor said.

One of the most viral responses to the prototype was by the news influencer Dylan Page, who nicknamed the seat design "the two layers of hell" and said these seats would probably be the closest someone will ever get "to a stranger's ass." The video amassed over 4.5 million views and was packed with commenters agreeing with the creator's criticism. 

"Imagine the people behind you after eating Taco Bell," one top comment read.

One popular video conceded that the prototype has some benefits, but noted other, erm, smells that could easily travel between seat levels.

"New option: All-flight foot aroma for those who prefer lower seats," the video maker quipped in the description.

One woman criticized how a baby's crying might sound more aggressive if it came from above, and said children could be fussy and could cause additional problems if they were allowed to sit above people.

However, tucked between the deluge of criticism were some positive comments. One viewer said the design looked "very unique," while another commenter surmised that people would oblige to fly this way if it decreased the fare.

Insider has reached out to Chaise Longue for comment.