Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Travel
  3. News

Air New Zealand Announces Bunk Bed Sleep Pods for Economy Passengers

By

Vanishing legroom, a ban on hoverboards, and the possibility of a standing-room-only cabin — it seems the airlines are doing their worst to make air travel as terrible as possible these days. Every so often, however, we witness a spark of brilliance. To wit, Air New Zealand just announced the possibility of bunk beds for economy class passengers.

air-new-zealand-skynest

The concept images of the so-called Economy Skynest show six lie-flat sleeping pods stacked, bunk-bed-style in two columns of three beds each. Air New Zealand intends to allow economy passengers to purchase the upgrade and enjoy a quick nap or a seriously intense snooze on its longest-haul flights. The latest version of the Skynest beds is nearly 80 inches long and just shy of 23 inches wide. That’s compact, though not cramped by any means. It certainly beats struggling to nap for the better part of a day in an economy seat with two inches of recline.

Recommended Videos

Air New Zealand will likely include the necessary accessories for passengers to secure a good night’s sleep. The sleep kit will be similar to that offered to current business-class passengers: A full pillow, a blanket, sheets, and earplugs, plus a privacy curtain and mood lighting. If the concept takes off, the airline plans to include additional conveniences like USB power ports, a reading light, and better ventilation.

Introducing the Air New Zealand #Skynest ????

The national airline of New Zealand runs some of the world’s longest flights. When it launches next year, the trip from Auckland to New York City, for example, will clock in at nearly 18 hours one-way. So, Air New Zealand knows a thing or two about the miseries of long-haul travel, and the potential to make it better. It was the first airline to unveil the Skycouch — an option to allow economy class passengers to spread out across three full seats with extended leg rests to form a proper “couch.”

For now, the Skynest is only a concept, but the airline confirms that it’s seriously considering its potential. No official pricing or other details have been announced. What we do know is that the bunk beds would likely be sold as an add-on purchase for economy class passengers. The pods could be booked for an entire flight or in hour-long windows for quick naps. Just pack your own travel pillow and a topped-up travel flask, and suddenly that 18-hour flight might not seem so bad.

Mike Richard
Mike Richard
Contributor
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He’s kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South… Read Full Bio
Travel
5 Tips If You’re Traveling With Cigars: I Learned No. 2 the Hard Way
Wood, Hardwood, Accessories

Traveling with cigars can be challenging if you’re not prepared. The lack of preparation can lead to your favorite cigars getting smashed from inadequate storage, or they can peel because they weren’t kept at the proper temperature, among other issues. Sometimes you do all the right things, and still come away shaking your head.

I’ve been smoking cigars for two decades now, and it’s not beneath me to admit that I’ve made plenty of cigar travel mistakes in that span, and as recently as two weeks ago. You live, you learn, and hope you don’t waste a stogie on the next trip. My most recent cigar travel mistake is what inspired me to share these tips. Sure, there are plenty of articles out there offering similar advice. But this list comes from a cigar smoker and writer who has visited six countries and about a dozen states in the last year alone. And in that time, mistakes were made, and lessons were learned.

Read more
Travel
The art of adventure packing: packing light but effective
Clothing, Coat, Jacket

If you are like me, you grew up with stories of adventure. Whether you were fans of fictional adventure like Indiana Jones and Alan Quartermain, or you loved the true-life accounts of Ernest Shackleton and David Livingstone, there is a deep pull to venture into the unknown. The desire to abandon the Mon-Fri 9-5 in search of something deeper. You could spend your time thinking about hopping a boat and sailing the seven seas like the pirates of old. You could look up at the elusive peak of a mountain and believe it begs to be summited. You could stare into the depths of a jungle and wonder what treasures it hides beneath its canopy. No matter what kind of adventurer you are, you need to be prepared for whatever the world throws at you. I have climbed Salkantay Peak and explored the jungles of Peru. I have scanned the plains of Africa in search of a giant cat (the prospect of which was much more comforting than the actual sighting and wondering if I was far enough away). And I have disappeared into the secluded areas of Svalbard. One thing that remained constant was the need for the right pack.

Here is what I learned when packing for my adventures.

Read more
Travel
Savannah Beyond the Postcard
Architecture, Building, Spire

Savannah is one of those cities that seems almost too easy to like. The live oaks are dramatic. The Spanish moss does exactly what it is supposed to do. The brick sidewalks buckle in all the right places. The houses look like they were designed by people who understood proportion, shade, and the value of a proper front step. Even the light seems to arrive with better manners than it does in most places.

I have a built-in advantage when it comes to Savannah. We have family there, so we have been back several times, not just once for the checklist version of the city. I have also done a photography workshop there, which is a terrific way to learn any city. You get up early, stay out late, and pay attention to alleys, doorways, ironwork, reflections, and the way a city changes when the tourists are still asleep.

Read more