After years of designing and planning, Air New Zealand is ready to roll out its “Economy Skynest” concept – bunk beds that passengers can book for four-hour sessions to catch some shut-eye on exceptionally long flights.
The carrier said it is installing Skynest sections on its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, between the Economy and Premium Economy cabins. Each consists of six lie-flat beds in a bunk-style configuration.
Individual beds come with a full-length mattress, bedding, ventilation, a reading light, a privacy curtain, and USB-A and USB-C ports. Customers will also get an amenities kit with an eye mask, ear plugs, socks, and skincare products.
For a starting price of 495 NZD, or about $292, Economy and Premium Economy passengers can book a four-hour session in a bed. The sessions will be planned outside of meal service times.
The airline plans to offer two sessions per flight to start, and all bedding will be changed between the two bookings, officials said.
Skynest is available to travelers 15 and up. Air New Zealand advised that passengers will need to be able to climb to reach the second and third tier of beds, which are elevated.
“For a country as remote as New Zealand, the journey matters,” Air New Zealand CEO Nikhil Ravishankar said in a news release. “Tourism is a 46 billion NZD industry, but growth depends on travelers’ willingness to spend long hours in the air to get here. Skynest is designed to help make that easier… By giving more people the chance to properly rest on ultra long-haul flights, it helps make travel to and from New Zealand more manageable.”
The beds will be available on select flights between New York and Auckland. Bookings will start on May 18, for travel starting in November.
