• 

  Air New Zealand

  IATA/ICAO Code:

  NZ/ANZ

  Airline Type:

  Full Service Carrier

  Hub(s):

  Auckland Airport, Christchurch Airport, Wellington Airport

  Year Founded:

  1965

  Alliance:

  Star Alliance

  CEO:

  Greg Foran

  Country:

  New Zealand

  Region:

  Oceania

Air New Zealand will introduce sleep pods in the economy class cabins of its ultra-long-haul Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners from 2024. In what will be a world first, passengers down the back of the plane will be able to lie down and stretch out like those lucky passengers parked up the front of the aircraft. Air New Zealand CEO says the so-called Skynest will prove a game-changer for economy class travel.

A lie-flat opportunity for economy class passengers

The publicity images released by Air New Zealand reveal a set of four bunks similar to what you might find in an entry-level "room" in a capsule hotel. Air New Zealand is a long-haul specialist, and with nonstop flights scheduled to destinations even further afield, like New York, many passengers will welcome the opportunity to catch some quality shut-eye during the journey. Air New Zealand says the eight Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners arriving from 2024 will include the new cabin, and a retrofitting program will cover the existing 787-9s.

Comments made by Air New Zealand's CEO suggest the Skynest won't be available to a passenger for the entire journey. Instead, it will be an add-on. Passengers seated in economy class can book a Skynest by the hour - for an additional fee, of course. Air New Zealand says they'll have six Skynest pods on their Dreamliners post-2024. The Skynest is one of a raft of new seat and cabin upgrades passengers can expect on Air New Zealand Dreamliner flights from 2024.

"What's really exciting is what we are doing down the back of the plane," says Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran. "It's an important part of any plane - you don't just sell what's happening up the front. Down in economy, we are going to have this product called Skynest, and it allows passengers to rent, if you like, a lie-flat bed for a period of time, while flying. I think this is going to be pretty compelling for a lot of customers. A lot of customers will say, 'for a little bit extra, I'm happy to sit down the back as long as I know I can get a few hours sleep.'"

Air New Zealand taps into a history of cabin innovation

Air New Zealand has a history of innovation in the economy class cabin of their planes. They introduced the Skycouch, which allows passengers to book a bank of economy seats with a mattress and bedding. That's proved a popular concept on long-haul flights, and Air New Zealand will retain it. For passengers happy to sit up for the entire journey, there will be an enhanced economy seat designed with more storage, comfort, and space and a 50% bigger screen for entertainment. Passengers can also book an economy class seat with extra legroom - Economy Stretch, as the Air New Zealand calls it. All up, in their Dreamliner economy class cabins, Air New Zealand will have four seat choices at four price points - Economy, Economy Stretch, Skycouch, and Skynest.

Elsewhere in the plane, premium economy passengers will enjoy a new seat that offers more privacy and protected space, allowing passengers to recline at leisure without interrupting the person behind.

Discover more aviation news.

Upgrades up the front with a new Air New Zealand business class product

Up the front, in what Air New Zealand called Business Premier, passengers can relax in individual semi-private pods featuring all the expected bells and whistles like fully lie-flat beds and direct aisle access. If passengers care to splash out some more, up to eight seats will be designated Business Premier Luxe - which will feature a sliding door for maximum privacy and space for two to dine.

Greg Foran says aside from new seats, passengers on these planes can expect better food, drink, and entertainment options regardless of where they sit. He acknowledges that on long flights, while most passengers will grab some rest, they'll have plenty of time to spare, and Air New Zealand is keen to step up and meet the challenge. Mr Foran says Air New Zealand has invested 170,000 hours into the new cabin.

"It has allowed us to dig deep with the things that customers want and then work with a whole range of suppliers to come up with a suite of products that I think are a world first. The other things that are really important when you fly are what you eat, what you drink, and what sort of entertainment you want onboard. As you would expect with Air New Zealand, we've really made sure that we've come up with some great products, and it all gets wrapped into the Air New Zealand service you get from the moment you turn up."

Stay informed: Sign up for our daily and weekly aviation news digests.

Air New Zealand's long haul upgrades go beyond the seats

Today's announcement has been a long time coming. Air New Zealand has teased about developing new products, and plenty of chatter has circulated online about the airline's design and research facility in Auckland. Undoubtedly, the airline has put plenty of effort into designing and calibrating their new seat products to meet market demand on their long-haul flights. Under the spin, it's about extracting maximum revenue from passengers on each and every flight - and that's fair enough; Air New Zealand isn't a charity. But rather than focusing on that, the airline is wrapping up the new seats and cabin upgrades in a feel-good vibe that's all about passenger and environmental well-being.

"Research shows us the first night away from home is the hardest to get a good night's sleep, so everything we do onboard is to help create a sense of calm – from the lighting and sleep ritual including sleepy teas and balms, to the healthier food choices and breathable fabrics," said Chief Customer Officer Leanne Geraghty."Sustainability has been at the heart of the design process. Using modern fabrics rather than leather, has saved around one kilogram in weight per Business Premier and premium economy seat, reducing overall carbon emissions. In Premium cabins, the airline will also switch to service ware that is 20% lighter, helping to reduce carbon emissions, and in Economy, the new service ware will reduce plastic dishes used inflight by 28 million every year."

And that's all great, but at the end of the day, Air New Zealand drives home the key message about their new seats. "Our new cabin experience is set to be world-class," says Ms Geraghty, "We know our customers will love it."