AIR NEW ZEELAND UNVEILS BUNK BED-STYLE SLEEPING PODS FOR ECONOMY FLYERS
Air New Zealand has filed a patent for new sleeping pods that would allow passengers flying in economy class to stretch out during long flights. Dubbed the “Economy Skynest,” each pod will contain six, full-length, lie-flat beds. Skynest was developed over three years of research and development in anticipation of the airline’s longest flight — a nonstop between Auckland and New York which will take up to 17 hours — that will launch in October.
Arranged into two bunks with three levels each, the pods will come complete with pillows, blankets, sheets, earplugs and privacy curtains. Between each session, crew members will freshen up the pods, allowing multiple passengers to inhabit the pods during each flight. “We see a future flying experience where an economy-class customer on long-haul flights would be able to book the Economy Skynest in addition to their Economy seat, get some quality rest and arrive at their destination ready to go,” explained Nikki Goodman, Air New Zealand’s General Manager of Customer Experience.
The airline will need to seek regulatory approval for the pods and make a final decision after assessing the popularity of the Auckland-New York flight. Thus, the product will not be available until late 2021. Air New Zealand has not yet released pricing for a session in one of its sleeping pods.
Take a look inside the Economy Skynest in the video above.
