Traveling in economy class could be exhausting, especially if it is a long-distance flight. Limited legroom and movement space make it difficult for air travelers to complete their journey comfortably. But the flip side is not everyone can afford executive/business class travel. Economy class travelers were always expecting some respite in this for at least long flights. Now Air New Zealand has come up with a refreshing solution for economy class. For the first time, economy-class travelers will be able to stretch their legs and sleep on actual beds during air travel.
The air carrier has announced its “Skynset” concept, which features six full-length sleeping pods, will be among the offerings included on its new Boeing 787 Dreamliners, due to enter into service in 2024. Each pod in the sleep zone will be located between the Premium Economy and Economy cabins and include a full-size pillow, bedding, ear plugs, a reading light, a USB port, and a ventilation outlet. The pods are stacked like bunk beds, with two rows each containing three beds.
At this stage, each passenger will be limited to a four-hour session in one pod, at an additional cost to their regular Economy class seats. The airline conducted extensive research on sleep cycles.” A typical sleep cycle lasts 90 minutes, so a four-hour session allows clients to unwind, fall asleep, and wake up.
Air New Zealand is renovating its current 787-9 fleet in addition to eight Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners that will be delivered to the airline beginning in 2024. The planes will have eight or four Business Premier Luxe seats, 42 or 22 Business Premier seats, 52 or 33 Premium Economy seats, and 125 or 213 Economy seats, depending on the configuration. The six Skynest sleep pods will be installed in aircraft operated on ultra-long-haul flights.
The airline filed patent and trademark applications for “Skynest’ following three years of research, development, and testing based on input from more than 200 customers at a hangar in Auckland. It is assumed that it will take 2 years from now for booking to start for this amazing service on Air New Zealand.
