The ability to lie flat on an aircraft is now only available to first- or business-class travellers, but that is about to change.
In a first for the globe, Air New Zealand will provide bunk beds for economy travellers where they may reserve a session to catch some sleep starting in September 2024.
The airline first introduced the Skynest sleeping pods in June of last year; today, they have provided a few other important information, including pricing.
Between the economy and premium economy cabins, there will be six sleeping pods with bunk beds.
They will be broadcast on extremely long-haul flights, including as the 17-hour direct journey between New York City and Auckland, which is one of the world’s longest flights.
Leanne Geraghty, the chief customer and sales officer, previously told news.com.au that it was a result of client input from the preceding five years that emphasised the value of more comfort, privacy, and a good night’s sleep.
“Skynest was an idea born out of looking at how we could offer a lie-flat option for Economy and Premium Economy travellers, and it’s going to be a real game-changer, adding more flexibility to the economy travel experience,” added the spokesperson.
What is the price?
Pre-booking a session in blocks of four hours will be available to passengers for an additional $NZ400 to $NZ600, or around $375 to $565 in Australian dollars.
It will cost between $400 and $600 NZD for a four-hour session, according to Ms. Geraghty, who spoke to news.com.au. “We’re still in the process of firming up all things pricing as there are a number of factors involved,” she said.
“Customers will be able to book it as an add-on to their ticket when they originally purchase it.We are also figuring out how to allow them to add it to their tickets at a later time and to book it aboard if a session opens up.
These specifics are still being worked out, but we want to provide them as soon as everything is certain.
Each session will be separated by 30 minutes so that the cabin staff may replace the bedding. Just before your session ends, the lights will be gradually turned on, and any passengers who are still asleep will be “politely awakened” by the crew.
To guarantee that passengers can secure them and remain in the pod should the seat belt light come on during turbulence, each pod will have its own seatbelt.
A full-size pillow, sheets, and blankets, earplugs, a separate reading light, a USB port for a personal device, a ventilation outlet, and illumination intended for sleeping will all be provided in each pod.
SkyNest has already won several accolades; the most recent is being named a finalist for the Crystal Cabin Awards.
“We’re thrilled that customers share our enthusiasm for this innovative invention. We are convinced that the product we created as a consequence of our comprehensive research and design process, which lasted five years and 170,000 hours, will improve the in-flight experience for Economy customers.
Source: news.com.au