Air NZ unveils “sleep pods”

AIR New Zealand this morning revealed more details about its so-called “Skynest” economy class sleep pods ( TD 26 Feb 2020), which will launch on its ultra-long haul flights from Auckland to New York and Chicago from Sep 2024.

NZ Chief Customer and Sales Officer, Leanne Geraghty, said the innovation was “going to be a real game changer, adding more flexibility to the economy travel experience”.

The Skynest will comprise a sixpod sleep zone offering sessions for Economy passengers to lie down when travelling long haul.

Each pod will include a full-sized pillow, sheets and blanket, ear plugs, a reading light, personal USB outlet and ventilation outlet.

Passengers will be limited to one four-hour session each, with families travelling on the same ticket able to book a session for each passenger, pending availability.

Located between the Premium Economy and Economy cabins, each Skynest pod will come with a separate seatbelt, and bedding will be changed between each session with a 30 minute transition time.

Lights will gently come on at the end of each session and crew will “politely wake any passengers who sleep through this” according to an NZ update.

Currently, the carrier is still working through the exact details of how the booking process will work, and no price has yet been determined.

“At this stage we are looking at around NZ$400 to $600 for the four-hour period,” Geraghty said.

The Skynest will be designed and installed in Aoteoroa New Zealand, with the carrier saying it’s the latest example of its “83year history of innovation and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible”.