Air New Zealand is breaking with traditional air travel standards and aiming to provide a more comfortable and restful experience for all passengers. Historically, the opportunity to sleep soundly while flying has been reserved for those who could afford first and business class lie-flat seats. However, with the introduction of bunk beds on its aircraft, Air New Zealand is hoping to transform the industry standard and provide economy-class passengers with the chance to properly recline and sleep during long-haul and ultra-long-haul flights.
The Skynest, featuring six sleep pods, will make its debut in September 2024 as part of the airline’s revamp of its current wide-body planes and newly acquired Dreamliners. These bunks will be the first-ever sleep pods available to economy-class passengers.
Air New Zealand’s Chief Customer and Sales Officer, Leanne Geraghty, said “[Skynest] was really born out of our research telling us that sleep was core to customer experience”.
Given New Zealand’s location on the globe, passengers can spend prolonged periods in transit, with flights between Auckland and New York’s JFK airport lasting up to 17 hours. Therefore, the ability to sleep comfortably during a flight is crucial.
The retrofit aims to improve the sleeping experience across all cabins, from the new Business Premier Luxe at the front of the aircraft to the larger seats being installed in economy. However, Skynest provides a distinct opportunity for passengers who do not have access to lie-flat seats to fully recline and get some rest.
