Air New Zealand Adds Triple-Tier Skynest Lie-Flat Pods on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners

Air New Zealand is preparing to let economy and premium economy passengers buy time in lie-flat sleeping pods on select ultra-long-haul flights, using a triple-tier “Skynest” bunk-bed concept on its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.

“Airline adding bunk beds for economy travelers but bans snacks, smells and cuddling WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Sleep on a long-haul flight in economy class has always been a fantasy for many travelers”

Associated Press

Multiple outlets describe the same core pitch: passengers will book “four-hour stints” in the curtained pods rather than trying to sleep in a standard seat for the full journey.

Associated Press

The flights in question connect Auckland and New York, a route that “currently leaves economy passengers sitting upright for a marathon 16 to 18 hours,” according to CBS News, and the AP story similarly frames the change as a way to address long-haul fatigue.

Air New Zealand says the pods will be available from November, with bookings opening on May 18, and the pods are offered to economy and premium economy fliers who still must purchase an actual seat.

The pods are arranged in a triple-bunk style layout, and the airline says there are six pods total, which means only a limited number of passengers can use the sleep spaces per flight.

The AP and CBS News both report that the pods are “the first lie-flat beds for budget air travelers,” and both emphasize that the berths are curtained for privacy.

Air New Zealand also provides detailed physical access constraints, including that “access requires bending, kneeling, crawling, or climbing into the space,” as described in the AP and repeated by CBS News, and that each berth is about the length of a regular bed at “80 inches or 203 cm.”

Alongside the promise of lie-flat rest, Air New Zealand is building a tightly controlled “etiquette” framework around the Skynest pods, with rules that are repeatedly spelled out in the AP and CBS News accounts.

Passengers are told they must “refrain from snacking in the pods,” and the AP adds that the pods “can’t be used by children or any additional visitors,” limiting who can access the sleep spaces.

CBS News

The airline also bans “crumbs, strong perfumes and bedsharing,” and both AP and CBS News quote the airline’s own wording that “That means solo snoozes only please, no musical nests or tag-teaming.”

For cleanliness and comfort, the airline says the bedding is refreshed between uses, with the AP stating the pillows, blankets and sheets supplied “are all refreshed” between four-hour naps, and CBS News using the same “are all refreshed” language.

Entry to the pods requires passengers to change into “specially provided socks,” and the AP specifies that fliers must fasten their seatbelts over their blankets and “forgo dousing themselves in any smelly ‘perfumes or potions.’”

The airline also describes how passengers will be woken at the end of their four-hour stint, saying they will be “woken by a gentle change in lighting” or by a flight attendant if they do not rouse in time.

Physical dimensions and access details are also part of the public pitch: the AP says the bunks are “25 inches (64 cm) wide at shoulder height, tapering to 16 inches (41 cm) at the foot of the beds,” and it notes that the pods “don’t leave headroom for sitting up.”

Air New Zealand’s Skynest pods are positioned as an add-on rather than a replacement for economy seating, and the pricing and booking mechanics are described in multiple outlets.

“It's a well-known fact that New Zealand is far, with a direct flight from New York to Auckland typically taking just under 18 hours”

Condé Nast Traveler

The AP says the curtained berths will be available on the airline’s new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft from November, and that travelers can choose a “pre-booked four-hour spot in a curtained pod,” with costs “starting from 495 New Zealand dollars ($291) on top of the price of their economy tickets.”

CBS News repeats the same structure, saying the pods will be available on the Auckland to New York route and that the four-hour spot costs “starting at 495 New Zealand dollars ($291) on top of the price of their economy tickets.”

Condé Nast Traveler adds that the sleeping pods will initially be available only on plane rides between “John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, and Auckland, New Zealand,” and it specifies that premium and economy passengers “will also still be required to purchase an actual seat.”

That outlet also states that “Per flight, there will be two sessions available,” and that “Passengers can only book one slot per flight,” with cabin crew changing bedding between sessions.

Travel and Leisure Asia provides additional eligibility constraints, stating the sleep pod is “only available for passengers aged 15 years and above,” and it also reiterates that “One session can be booked per passenger, per flight.”

Fox News frames the same add-on pricing as a flashpoint, describing the pod booking as “prices starting at a whopping $495,” and it it says access to the pods “will not be included in the base ticket price.”

As Air New Zealand’s Skynest concept moves from development to bookings, reactions described by outlets show a split between excitement about lie-flat rest and criticism focused on cost and cramped access.

Fox News reports that “travelers are strongly divided on the new feature,” and it describes how “Travelers quickly flocked to Reddit to share opinions and gripes,” with one commenter saying, “I'm not sure it's a terrible idea. Seventeen hours in an economy seat is brutal! An opportunity to spend 4 hours stretched out would be heaven for some travelers,” while another complains, “One hundred dollars per hour to sleep. This better be some good sleep.”

Fox News

Fox News also includes a Reddit user’s frustration that it would “take me at least an hour to fall asleep thinking about how much money it was costing me,” and it quotes another question: “Are people flying economy going to part with their money to lie down for four hours?”

At the same time, Fox News says some travelers argued the option could make sense financially compared with more expensive upgrades, describing it as a “middle-ground alternative between economy and business class.”

The Independent’s framing emphasizes the product’s design and restrictions, noting that “Water will be the only drink allowed in the nests, and snacks are not permitted,” and it quotes Air New Zealand’s chief executive Nikhil Ravishankar saying, “by giving more people the chance to properly rest on ultra long-haul flights, it helps make travel to and from New Zealand more manageable.”

Condé Nast Traveler likewise highlights the amenities and the “slight catch” that the pods are not rolled out across all routes, while TravelPirates adds that “Water is allowed inside the pod” and that “Snacks are not.”

Even the AP’s own description anticipates skepticism, quoting Air New Zealand’s website: “Statistically, someone’s going to do it,” and adding, “It might be you.”

Air New Zealand’s Skynest rollout is presented by outlets as part of a broader strategy to sell add-ons to economy travelers, and it is also tied to the airline’s financial and operational pressures.

“Air New Zealand is launching an innovative way for economy passengers to sleep on long-haul flights with bunk beds on board”

The Independent

The AP says the offering from New Zealand’s national carrier is “the latest from airlines seeking to sell seat upgrades and other add-ons to economy travelers,” and it notes that Air New Zealand “first announced the economy beds were in development in 2020.”

The Independent

The AP further reports that the airline “has increased fares and cut some domestic flights from its schedule in response to increased jet fuel costs during the war in the Middle East,” and it adds that “In March, it suspended its earnings outlook due to fuel price volatility and warned that more changes to its routes were possible.”

CBS News repeats the same development timeline, saying Air New Zealand “first announced the economy beds were in development in 2020,” and it similarly describes the airline’s March earnings outlook suspension and fuel-price volatility warning.

The Independent frames the product in terms of tourism demand and travel time, quoting Ravishankar that “For a country as remote as New Zealand, the journey matters,” and it adds, “Tourism is a $46 billion NZD industry.”

TravelPirates similarly emphasizes the tourism angle, stating, “Tourism is a $46 billion NZD industry for a country that is genuinely far from almost everywhere,” and it describes the Skynest as a way to make a long flight “more manageable.”

The airline’s own messaging, as quoted by AP, suggests it expects some passengers to try the pods despite the constraints, with the website line “It might be you.”