Initially, only two four-hour sessions will be available on each flight, designed around the body’s natural sleep cycles.
Air New Zealand will roll out its Skynest sleeping pods on long-haul flights in November, with bookings opening next month. Photo / Air NZ
“For a country as remote as New Zealand, the journey matters. International tourism is an $18.1 billion industry, but growth depends on travellers’ willingness to spend long hours in the air to get here,” Air NZ chief executive Nikhil Ravishankar said.
“[Skynest] reflects the practical innovation New Zealand is known for, and shows how thoughtful design can improve the travel experience.
“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.”
A prototype was teased by Air NZ in February 2020, with the concept pitched as a “game changer” for long-haul economy travel.
The Skynest hosts six lie-flat pods between the Economy and Premium Economy cabins and costs $495 for a four-hour session. Photo / Air NZ
The product has been in development for nearly a decade and was tested with more than 200 customers.
The Skynest was slated to launch in September 2024 on ultra long-haul flights from Auckland to destinations such as New York and Chicago.
However, issues affecting the availability of parts pushed back the airline’s $490 million retrofit programme, with the final Dreamliners now not expected to be completed until the end of this year.
Air NZ previously experimented with alternative economy seating with the debut of the Skycouch in 2011. The concept has since been patented and licensed to international carriers such as United and China Airlines.
The airline filed patent and trademark applications for its new Skynest product in 2020.
Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.