Room To Stretch: Air New Zealand To Soon Have 6-Pod, Stacked Bunk Beds For Economy Travellers

Sitting in the economy class of an airplane can be tiring especially if the journey is long.

And seems like Air New Zealand is in the mood to offer some relief to its economy travellers. Reportedly the airlines will soon install bunk beds in economy for some of its long flights.

However, there is still a year to go before customers could get the chance to stretch their backs, reports The Guardian.

Air New Zealand

According to the report, the airline has filed patent and trademark applications for what might be called the Economy Skynest. The Skynest is reported to have six full-length sleep pods, 200cm long and 58cm wide each. The Skynest will have three levels of beds and two beds on each level.

The beds will have a pod hotel design, a full-size pillow, sheets and blankets, earplugs, and a privacy curtain, basically a lot of business class experience in economy.

Air New Zealand may even include other features like a USB outlet and a reading light.

Air New Zealand

Mike Tod, the company¡¯s chief marketing and customer officer said that New Zealand¡¯s longest haul flights will have this facility, including the Auckland to New York service launching next year. The flight will be 17 hours and 40 minutes.

The cost of the Skynest has not yet been decided and it is yet to be determined. However, a spokeswoman for Air New Zealand told Guardian Australia that the cost for the pods would be separate from the cost of booking a seat on the flight.

¡°The concept is designed as a pod you go to during the flight. You will still have your economy seat separately for the other portion of the flight,¡± The Guardian quoted her as saying.

Air New Zealand

Customers will even be allowed to book a session during the flight rather than the whole flight. One need not worry about the hygiene apparently as the cabin crew will make sure to change and freshen up the pods with new bedding for each session.

Talking about it all, Air New Zealand¡¯s head of airline programmes, Kerry Reeves was quoted by The Guardian as saying that it is ¡°a prize worth chasing and one that we think has the potential to be a game-changer for economy class travellers on all airlines around the world.¡±

Air New Zealand is known to come up with ways to make its passengers comfortable one of which is Skycouch. Skycouch allows people to convert their entire row into a makeshift bed. It was launched in 2011 and then revamped in 2018 for kids.

Well, Indian airlines, are you listening?