Story by ANDREW KACIMAIWAI
HOW much would you spend for a few hours extra sleep laid out at 36,000 feet between Auckland and New York — and in economy?
Up to $600 more for no more than four hours, is Air New Zealand’s guess.
The airline is posed to make its Skynest sleep pods available on their Auckland-New York/Chicago routes from 2024.
The sleep pods were recently previewed at TRENZ (New Zealand’s largest international tourism business event).
Air New Zealand Chief Customer and Sales Officer Leanne Geraghty believes SkyNest is going to be a real game changer, adding more flexibility to the economy travel experience.
“Our 83-year history is marked by a commitment to innovation and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. SkyNest is the latest example …,” she said.
“SkyNest captured the imagination of a global audience and its uniqueness has already been acknowledged by multiple awards – the latest being a finalist in the Crystal Cabin Awards.”
(The airline was subsequently named the awards Innovative Cabin Concept category winner at a ceremony held in Hamburg, Germany.)
“Our extensive research and design process, which spanned five years and 170,000 hours, has resulted in a product that we’re confident will revolutionise the in-flight experience for Economy passengers.”
ULTRA-LONG HAUL FLIGHTS
The service will be available only on the airline’s ultra long flights.
We’re delighted to announce that our innovative Economy SkyNest will be launching on ultra-long haul flights, starting with the Auckland-New York and Auckland-Chicago routes,” Ms Geraghty said.
“North America is the perfect market for SkyNest as it has a premium segment that values comfort and sleep during long-haul travel.
“With our ultra-long haul routes to destinations such as New York and Chicago, Skynest provides a unique and innovative way for our passengers to rest and recharge, making their journey with us even more enjoyable.”
She said that SkyNest will be designed and installed in New Zealand/Aotearoa.
“While our overall 787 refit will occur offshore in the best Boeing facilities, our best engineers and designers will develop SkyNest in New Zealand, using the latest in cutting-edge technology and design,” she said.
“We’re still working through the exact details of how the booking process will work, and we have yet to determine the price. At this stage are looking at around $400-$600 for the four-hour period.”
ABOUT SKYNEST
• SkyNest will be a six-pod configured sleep zone for Economy passengers on long haul flights. It will be available from September 2024;
• Each pod will include a full-size pillow, sheets and blanket, ear plugs, a separate reading light, personal device USB outlet, ventilation outlet, and lighting designed for rest;
• Each passenger will be limited to one session; families travelling on the same ticket will be able to book a session for each passenger, pending availability;
• SkyNest will be located between Premium Economy and Economy; each pod will come with a separate seatbelt to ensure passengers can stay in
the pod should the seatbelt sign come on;
• The bedding will be changed between each session with a 30-minute transition time between bookings;
• The lights will come on at the end of each session and crew will politely wake any passengers.
Tasman Aircraft 