Shut-eye in the sky is finally a reality for airlines’ lowest-paying customers.
On Tuesday, Air New Zealand took the sheets off their new economy-class sleeping pods. The airline also filed patent and trademark applications for the “Economy Skynest,” CNN reports.
“Shhhhhhh . . . napping in progress” reads the outside of the box containing the six bunks outfitted with low purple lighting.
Each individual pod is 22 inches by 78 inches — making it roughly the same length but over a foot slimmer than the average twin mattress — and comes with a pillow, sheets, blanket, earplugs and privacy curtains, with the possibility of also eventually being outfitted with reading lights and USB outlets.
“For those who have dreamed of having their own nest mid-flight, your lie-flat dreams could come true,” reads the caption on a promotional video for the cheap-seats sleeper innovation. “Unveiling a groundbreaking new sleep zone for economy-class travelers.”
Three years of research and input from 200 Auckland area customers went into the slumber crates, CNN reports. Where the bed-box would be positioned in an aircraft is as yet undecided, although in the video they are positioned at the end of an aisle of economy triple-seaters. And with only six sleeper opportunities per aircraft, passengers will likely have to sprint to score one.
Although the airline says the Skynest meets all regulatory requirements, CNN notes they will not finalize their decision to use them until 2021, once they’ve had time to assess the viability of their new Auckland-to-New York flights, which take off in October 2020. That flight, which would take about 17 hours and 40 minutes, is set to be one of the world’s longest — perhaps a good reason for economy passengers to take a nap.
At least they won’t have to worry about invading someone else’s in-flight space.






