Air New Zealand has long been a pioneer in long-haul travel, having first launched its Skycouch, aka a row of economy class seats that turn into a bed, back in 2011.
Now the airline is taking things up a notch with the long-awaited launch of its Skynest, which features six bunk bed-style pods that economy and premium economy passengers can book.
First announced back in 2020, the Skynest will be available on select ultra-long-haul flights between New York and Auckland from November this year.
Bookings for the Skynest will open from 18 May, with a four-hour session priced from NZ$495 (€248).
The Skynest pods are found on board the carrier’s Boeing 787-9 V5 aircraft. Given there are only two sessions available per flight, and there are 52 seats in premium economy and a further 120 seats in economy, you might just want to snap up your spot ASAP.
According to Air New Zealand, the sessions have been “designed around natural sleep cycles to allow time to settle, sleep and wake gradually”. As the flight time is 17 hours, additional sessions may be added in the future.
“For a country as remote as New Zealand, the journey matters,” says Air New Zealand chief executive Nikhil Ravishankar.
“Tourism is a NZ$46 billion (€23 billion) industry, but growth depends on travellers’ willingness to spend long hours in the air to get here. Skynest is designed to help make that easier.
“It reflects the practical innovation New Zealand is known for, and shows how thoughtful design can improve the travel experience. By giving more people the chance to properly rest on ultra-long-haul flights, it helps make travel to and from New Zealand more manageable.”
What passengers can expect in the Economy Skynest
The Economy Skynest is located between the economy and premium economy cabins, and each sleeping pod comes with a full-length mattress with bedding including a pillow, sheets and blanket, which are changed between sessions. It also has an in-pod seatbelt.
You’ll be able to shut out the world with the privacy curtain, but each pod also includes a crew call button should you want anything.
If you need to read before catching some Zs, there’s a reading light, and the pods also come with personal stowage and charging ports for both USB-A and USB-C.
Stays in the Skynest also include a ‘Nestcessities’ kit, which includes an eye mask, earplugs, socks and a range of skincare products from Kiwi brand Aotea.