Air New Zealand is Bringing Sleep Pods to its Economy Class Travelers

New Zealand is often thought of as a ‘bucket-list’ destination for many travelers. But the flight alone can intimidate many vacationers.

However, the country’s flagship airline, Air New Zealand, is working to change that.

The airline is known to operate some of the longest flight routes in the world – like their Auckland to New York City route which clocks in at 17 hours and 40 minutes one way. But Air New Zealand is working diligently to change the way their patrons travel and bring more comfort to its customers.

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“We have a tremendous amount of development work underway looking at product innovations we can bring across all cabins of the aircraft. 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,” said Air New Zealand’s Chief Marketing and Customer Officer, Mike Tod in a statement.

So what exactly is the Economy Skynest?

The Economy Skynest will be able to house six separate sleeping pods within the Economy section of the aircraft (exact placement is still undetermined).

Each pod will measure just over six and a half feet (or 200cm) by almost two feet (or 58 cm) and will come standard with a full-size pillow, sheets and a blanket. The current design also incorporates a privacy curtain and specialty lighting, but Air New Zealand is also looking into additional features like a reading light and a USB outlet.

The excitement at Air New Zealand for this new design is almost tangible.

“We see a future flying experience where an economy-class customer on long-haul flights would be able to book the Economy Skynest in addition to their Economy seat, get some quality rest and arrive at their destination ready to go. This is a game-changer on so many levels,” said Air New Zealand’s General Manager of Customer Experience, Nikki Goodman in a statement.