Air New Zealand is patenting a new concept of equipment for its Economy cabin: the Skynest. This would allow passengers in this class of travel to have a real bed in flight.
The Skyest consists of a “pod” containing 6 beds 2m long and 58cm wide, with two bunks of three beds.
Today the authorities have not yet approved this type of equipment and we should not expect to find it in an airplane for at least two years, but we can see the interest as Air New Zealand will soon launch a 17h40 Auckland-New York. We also think of their Australian neighbors from Qantas and their famous Project Sunrise.
But such an equipment will not be “neutral”: installed in the middle of the aircraft where the carts and toilets are, it implies to remove a part of these equipments which will not facilitate the service. And removing toilets on a 17h+ flight can be problematic for fairly obvious reasons.
Moreover, only 6 beds will be available but it will be impossible to book them for the whole flight. You will need to reserve a time slot and the staff will change the bedding before the next occupant takes possession. Not necessarily obvious from our point of view because in fact we never know when we are going to have to sleep and there are strong chances that everyone reserves the same slots.
We also wait to see what it gives on the promiscuity side even if it can hardly be worse than an economy cabin.
The last unknown is the price at which Air New Zealand will market this option, knowing that it is more than unlikely to be free.
Remember that in the same order of innovative ideas, Air New Zealand is also the inventor of the Skycouch which allows to transform a row of 3 economy seats into a bed.