It’s actually happening: Bunk beds in the sky are now on sale for economy passengers.
The selling price? $495 for a four-hour block of nap time.
Beginning in late December, Air New Zealand will offer what it calls the Skynest: a pod of six beds bunked three high on each side, flanked by a ladder. These beds are bookable in blocks of time for napping on select long-haul flights between John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Auckland Airport (AKL).
What is the Air New Zealand Skynest?
If this sounds familiar, it may be because Air New Zealand has been working on Skynest for more than six years. (In fact, the airline has been the first to jump on a number of inflight innovations, including the Skycouch, which has now been licensed to United Airlines as its forthcoming Relax Row.)
The day Skynest moves from mock-up to takeoff is coming soon, as the airline recently displayed a model of the Skynest in New York City, which TPG tested out firsthand.
I am 5 feet and 7 inches tall, and I fit very comfortably in the bed; a man at the media preview was 6 feet and 4 inches tall and was also able to fully stretch out, albeit with a much tighter fit. The airline says that the bunks are 6 feet, 6 inches long, which should allow most passengers to lie flat. There are also about 25 inches of width at the shoulders, though the space does taper as it reaches the spot where your feet traditionally go.
The Skynest mattress felt comfortable, and I have no doubt that lying down in there and resting for a few hours will be much better than sitting upright for 18 hours straight in economy.
That said, as Skynest takes flight later this year, I’m interested to see how private the beds feel when up to five other people are resting at the same time. It will also be interesting to see whether other passengers respect Skynest’s rules, such as no eating, no playing audio without headphones and no wearing shoes. The airline also suggests passengers minimize getting in and out of the beds during their four-hour time block to avoid disturbing others.
Given the snug quarters and the goal of napping, you will absolutely want to be prepared with noise-canceling headphones, earplugs and any other accouterments to counter nearby snoring bunkmates.
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Each bunk bed has a USB-A and C charging outlet, and passengers will receive fresh linens, a pillow, a blanket and a “Nestcessities” amenity kit containing an eye mask, socks, earplugs, a dental kit and skincare products by New Zealand brand Aotea.
At the end of your time block, the lights will brighten slowly and wake you up gradually, though a flight attendant will come tap you on the feet if the lights don’t do the trick to bring you back to reality … and your normal economy seat.
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SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
Related reading: What it was like to fly 14 hours in a ‘couch’ in the sky
The Skynest beds will be in the center of the economy section of the aircraft, in an area where a galley and a row of three seats would typically be.
How much is it to book the Air New Zealand Skynest?
You can now book the Skynest as an add-on if you’re an economy or premium economy passenger on an eligible Air New Zealand flight between JFK and AKL on Dec. 24 or after. The bed costs a flat rate of $495.
You can choose between an earlier or later four-hour block of time on the flight, designated as Session A or Session B. You also get to choose in advance which bunk you want.
TPG tip: The bottom bunk, which is essentially at floor level, is nicer and cozier than you might think and requires no climbing to access. And the top is at least as hard to gracefully crawl into as you would imagine, but all were actually quite comfortable once you were nestled inside.
Interestingly, in my test searches, the price seems to be $495 whether you book on the U.S. Air New Zealand site in U.S dollars or on the New Zealand site in New Zealand dollars (which is required for flights originating in New Zealand). Currently, $495 NZD is equivalent to around $288 USD, so that is something to note.
Bottom line
While a four-hour time slot on an approximately 18-hour flight is obviously not the same thing as enjoying a lie-flat business-class seat the whole way, it is potentially a nice way to get a few hours of rest to break up the long journey at a price that is much lower than what business class would cost.
It’ll be interesting to see how relaxing and restful this block of time is in reality — and we only have to wait until December to find out.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thepointsguy.com
