Delegates attending TRENZ in Ōtautahi Christchurch, New Zealand, are happily viewing and trying Air New Zealand’s Skynest – the world’s first sleep pods in the sky.
Skynest – an innovative and brilliant airborne bunkbed concept whose time has arrived – has been designed in New Zealand and will be installed in New Zealand. The price hasn’t been set but “NZ$400 to NZ$600” (about AUD$375 to AUD$560) for four hours sleep in the bed during a long-haul flight is being discussed.
Skynest has been confirmed on New York and Chicago routes from September 2024 and will likely be rolled out more widely thereafter.
Skynest is a six-pod configured sleep zone that offers sessions for economy passengers to lie down when travelling long haul. It’s like the beds available for hourly hire in progressive, customer-oriented airports like Singapore Changi.
Each Skynest pod will include a full-size pillow, sheets and blanket, ear plugs, a separate reading light, a personal device USB outlet, a ventilation outlet, and lighting designed for rest.
Each passenger will be limited to one session, with families travelling on the same ticket able to book a session for each passenger, pending availability. Skynest allows economy passengers to lie flat and rest during longer flights.
The Skynest will be located between Premium Economy and Economy. Each pod will come with a separate seatbelt to ensure passengers can fasten them and stay in the pod should the seat belt sign come on during turbulence. The bedding will be changed between sessions, and a 30-minute transition time will be allowed. The lights will gently come on at the end of each session, and the crew will politely wake any passengers who sleep through this.
Air New Zealand chief customer and sales officer Leanne Geraghty says Skynest will be a 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, and we’re proud to lead the way with this world-first cabin feature.
“SkyNest has 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. We’re delighted that customers are as excited about this new innovation as we are. 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.”
Skynest to feature on ultra-long-haul flights.
“We’re delighted to announce that our innovative Economy Skynest will launch on ultra-long-haul flights, starting with the popular Auckland – New York and Auckland – Chicago routes.
“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. By launching Skynest on these routes, we are bringing to life our commitment to providing choice alongside the best possible experience for our passengers and to continue to innovate and lead the way in the aviation industry.
“As a proudly New Zealand company, we’re delighted to announce that Skynest will be designed and installed in 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.”
Geraghty said Air New Zealand was still working through the exact details of how the booking process would work and had yet to set the price.
“At this stage are looking at around NZ$400 to NZ$600 for the 4-hour period,” she said.
Written by: Peter Needham
