ZCZC
BFF-14
NZEALAND-AVIATION-AIRNZ
Air New Zealand tests beds for economy passengers
WELLINGTON, Feb 26, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Air New Zealand on Wednesday
announced a proposal to put beds in economy-class, which it claimed could
prove a “game changer” for passengers desperate to stretch out on long-haul
flights.
The airline, which operates some of the world’s most lengthy flights from
its remote South Pacific base, said the “Economy Skynest” aimed to bring pod-
bed technology to the skies.
“A clear pain point for economy travellers on long-haul flights is the
inability to stretch out,” the airline’s chief marketing officer Mike Tod
said.
“The development of the Economy Skynest is a direct response to that
challenge.”
The pods contain six beds, each measuring 200 by 58 centimetres (80 by 23
inches) with a pillow, sheets, blankets, ear plugs and a privacy curtain.
The idea is that the pods sit in the economy class cabin and passengers
pre-book sessions in them to break up long-haul flights, rather than
occupying them for the entire journey.
The beds will not be introduced for a least a year, as the airline works
through getting the concept approved by regulators.
“This is a game changer on so many levels,” said a spokeswoman for the
firm, which said it was willing to license the Skynest to other airlines.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1134 hrs