Air travel is hellish enough, but this patent might take that incredibly awkward, uncomfortable experience one step further by stacking passenger seats on top of one another.

Airbus filed the patent, which Telegraph Travel unveiled, showing a row of seats on a second “mezzanine” type level built to take advantage of the empty space above. Several different designs are sketched out, showing configurations of seating on both levels that even include the possibility for bunk bed-like reclining seats.

It looks oddly promising, but really, it would come down to execution — and let’s all stop and think about how well the airlines do with that. This is one idea that, depending on how it’s done, has the potential to be downright amazing — or downright awful.

While the engineers pointed out the best-case scenario to the Telegraph — “seats would be positioned in such a way to provide maximum space, and ideally keep the limbs and other body parts of passengers out of each customer’s eyeline,” let’s get real here. I don’t see a future of happily reclining. I see a future of what exists now, just doubled-stacked.

Sorry, Airbus.

BTW, how is that ultra-rapid aircraft that goes from NYC to London in one hour with sky hammocks doing? Maybe you should focus on that.

But as the Telegraph points out, Airbus patents a ton of stuff every year — and this stacked passenger seat model might never make it off the page.

What do you think of Airbus’ seat plan? Genius or a nightmare?