Initially, only two four-hour sessions will be available on each flight, designed around the body\u2019s natural sleep cycles.<\/p>\n
Air New Zealand will roll out its Skynest sleeping pods on long-haul flights in November, with bookings opening next month. Photo \/ Air NZ<\/p>\n
\u201cFor a country as remote as New Zealand, the journey matters. International tourism is an $18.1 billion industry, but growth depends on travellers\u2019 willingness to spend long hours in the air to get here,\u201d Air NZ chief executive Nikhil Ravishankar<\/a> said.<\/p>\n \u201c[Skynest] reflects the practical innovation New Zealand is known for, and shows how thoughtful design can improve the travel experience. <\/p>\n \u201cBy giving more people the chance to properly rest on ultra long-haul flights, it helps make travel to and from New Zealand more manageable.\u201d<\/p>\n A prototype was teased by Air NZ in February 2020<\/a>, with the concept pitched as a \u201cgame changer\u201d for long-haul economy travel.<\/p>\n The product has been in development for nearly a decade and was tested with more than 200 customers. <\/p>\n The Skynest was slated to launch in September 2024 on ultra long-haul flights from Auckland to destinations such as New York and Chicago.<\/p>\n However, issues affecting the availability of parts pushed back the airline\u2019s $490 million retrofit programme<\/a>, with the final Dreamliners now not expected to be completed until the end of this year. <\/p>\n Air NZ<\/a> previously experimented with alternative economy seating with the debut of the Skycouch<\/a> in 2011. The concept has since been patented and licensed to international carriers such as United and China Airlines.<\/p>\n The airline filed patent and trademark applications for its new Skynest product in 2020.<\/p>\nThe Skynest hosts six lie-flat pods between the Economy and Premium Economy cabins and costs $495 for a four-hour session. Photo \/ Air NZ<\/p>\n