Sleep on a long-haul flight in economy class has always been a fantasy for many travellers.
Air New Zealand will soon offer a solution that involves climbing into a triple-tier bunk bed wearing special socks.
The airline will soon open bookings for four-hour stints in the Skynest sleep pods and says they will be the first lie-flat beds for budget air travellers.
Fliers will get cosy with their fellow passengers, however, so crumbs, strong perfumes and bed-sharing are forbidden.
The curtained berths will be available to economy and premium economy fliers on the airline’s new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft from November.
The planes will service the Auckland to New York route, which is one of the world’s longest commercial flights and leaves economy passengers sitting upright for a marathon 16 to 18 hours.
Travellers will have the option of a pre-booked four-hour spot in a curtained pod, with costs starting from NZ$495 (US$290) on top of the price of their economy tickets.
But use of the six pods, arranged in a triple-bunk style layout between cabins, will put fliers in close proximity to others, prompting the airline to publish etiquette notes.
Passengers must refrain from snacking in the pods, which cannot be used by children or any additional visitors.
“That means solo snoozes only please, no musical nests or tag-teaming,” Air New Zealand’s website says.
For those worried about cleanliness, the airline assures travellers that the pillows, blankets and sheets....
