With the intensifying competition in the aviation industry, many airlines are striving to enhance or expand their services. One of the initiatives taken by airlines is to arrange sleeping accommodations for economy class passengers on long-haul flights. In this regard, Air New Zealand is leading the way.
Air New Zealand is set to offer a solution for passengers eager to get a good night’s sleep on long-haul flights: put on special socks and climb into a three-tiered bunk in the sky.
The airline announced that they will soon open bookings for the “Skynest” sleep pods, claiming it to be the first time an airline will provide lie-flat beds for economy class passengers.
This service will be available starting from November and will be offered on Air New Zealand’s new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. Passengers in both standard and premium economy classes will have access to the pods with privacy curtains. The aircraft will operate on the Auckland to New York route, one of the world’s longest commercial flights, where economy class passengers currently endure sitting upright for 16 to 18 consecutive hours.
Passengers requiring this service must book in advance, and the bed usage is limited to four hours, with an additional fee on top of the economy class ticket price starting at NZ$495 (approximately $291 USD).
However, the layout of the six beds arranged in the cabin will be in a three-tiered bunk configuration, which means that passengers using these beds will be in close proximity to each other. This led Air New Zealand to issue etiquette guidelines.
According to the regulations, passengers are not allowed to eat snacks in the sleep pod, nor are they permitted to share a bed with a child or any other person. Before entering the sleep pod, passengers must change into the airline-provided special socks and refrain from emitting any odors of “perfumes or chemicals.”
The airline stated that the pillows, blankets, and sheets provided to passengers will be changed after each four-hour use.
The rules require passengers to fasten their seat belts over the blanket before falling asleep.
Each bunk measures approximately 80 inches (203 centimeters) in length, equivalent to a regular bed, but the cabin height is not sufficient for passengers to sit up straight. Therefore, passengers will need to bend, kneel, or crawl upon entering the sleeping pod. The width of the bunk is around 25 inches (64 centimeters) at the shoulder level of the passenger and gradually narrows down to 16 inches (41 centimeters) at the foot end.
While business class and first class have had seats or sofas that can be converted into beds, Air New Zealand believes that providing lie-flat beds for economy class passengers will be a world-first initiative.
(This article referenced Associated Press reporting)