The airline offers bunk beds on planes: this is what Skynest should cost

A long flight in economy class can be very stressful for travelers. The seats offer little comfort and, above all, there is hardly any space – lucky if you are flying business or first class. If you do not have enough money for such trips, you will not have to spend more money in the near future.

Air New Zealand plans to introduce what’s called Skynest from September 2024, which will give economy class passengers the chance to sleep in a real bed – at least for a few hours.

This is how the Skynest concept works

Skynest will consist of six bunk beds, which will be installed in a closed box between the economy class aisles. Here travelers can then book a time slot where they can sleep on one of the beds. This time period should be four hours. If there are free places on a flight, passengers can reserve them automatically.

Dividers at head height and retractable curtains ensure privacy. Beds should be two meters long – enough space for tall people to stretch out and relax. Pillows, sheets, blankets, and earplugs are also included. There should also be a reading lamp and a USB port on the beds. Beds are freshly made after each booking.

It’s not yet clear how much a few hours of sleep in Skynest will cost. Air New Zealand has on 10 May 2023 AnnounceThat time period in Skynest will likely cost between 400 and 600 Australian dollars – the equivalent of about 250 to 350 euros.

Skynest will be installed on Air New Zealand’s Boeing 787-9 aircraft and will then be available for booking on long-haul flights. Air New Zealand has announced that the first flights on which beds will be reserved will be from Auckland to New York and from Auckland to Chicago.

Air New Zealand has long relied on sleeper options

The airline has had the option of lying down as an economy class passenger on long-haul flights for a long time. The airline introduced the so-called Skycouch in 2011, where economy passengers can reserve an entire row of seats and turn them into a reclining area. For example, Lufthansa introduced a similar concept in 2021 with the so-called Sleepers Row.

In 2020, Air New Zealand first unveiled a concept for Skynest, and it has been several years of development since then. Kerry Reeves, Air New Zealand’s head of aircraft programmes, said the airline was now ready to make Skynest a reality. CNN to explain.

Skynest is a nominee for the 2023 Crystal Cabin Awards

The innovative concept does not go unnoticed. Air New Zealand’s Skynest has been added to the 2023 shortlist Crystal Cabin Awards Finished. Every year, special ideas and designs in the field of aircraft construction are honored at the awards ceremony.

The award can be won in eight categories, including particularly innovative cabin concepts, health and safety as well as cabin sustainability. Whether Skynest will ultimately be one of the winners will be determined in June at the Aircraft Interior Expo in Hamburg.

Travel correspondent