air new zealand unveils onboard sleeping pods for economy travelers

air new zealand has unveiled the ‘economy skynest’, a collection of sleeping pods designed for economy passengers. the airline has filed patent and trademark applications for the project, which provides six, full-length, lie-flat surfaces that each measure in excess of 200 x 58 centimeters (79 x 23 inches). the ‘skynest’ is the result of three years of research and development, with the input of more than 200 customers at its innovation center in auckland. air new zealand will make a final decision on whether to operate the pods in 2021.

air new zealand says that as it operates some of the world’s longest flights — such as the upcoming auckland-new york service at up to 17 hours 40 minutes one way — it is committed to putting more magic back into flying. ‘we have a tremendous amount of development work underway looking at product innovations we can bring across all cabins of the aircraft,’ explains mike tod, chief marketing and customer officer at air new zealand. ‘a clear pain point for economy travelers on long-haul flights is the inability to stretch out. the development of the economy skynest is a direct response to that challenge.’

the exact positioning of the pods within the aircraft has still to be confirmed, however, they will be located within the economy cabin. it is intended that each of the pods will include a full-size pillow, sheets and blanket, ear plugs, along with privacy curtains and lighting designed for sleep. the airline says that it is also exploring other features such as separate reading lights, USB ports, and ventilation outlets. ‘we’re sure this innovation is going to be a game changer for the industry and bring significant improvements to long-haul flying,’ says nikki goodman, air new zealand’s general manager of customer experience.

project info:

name: economy skynest
airline: air new zealand
status: patent and trademark applications filed, decision on implementation expected in 2021