Airline Sleeper Coach in Economy Class?

We have seen buses and trains with sleeper berths, but no passenger travelling economy class by air has yet enjoyed a horizontal lie-down session on an airline. However, that's exactly what one of the top airline companies in the world plans to introduce for its passengers in economy, and the aviation world has its own thoughts about it.
Not one to compromise on service quality, and having received a number of accolades for the same attribute in recent times, Air New Zealand is now set to give its economy class passengers a smoother flying experience on mid and long-haul flights.

Bunk beds for the economy class would mean a definitive goodbye to stiff necks and legs, armrest wars with the next passenger and guarantee generally happier clients. The concept of what they call the "Skynest" has been in conception for about five years now and is set to make its debut in 2024.

The lie-in pods, all six of them, will be installed in their Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner flights and will be an addition to, though not a replacement of, the regular seats the flight has already installed. As Air New Zealand expects to start its first nonstop flight from Auckland to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, which is almost a 17-hour flight, it seems like a very opportune moment to roll out the new service.

Even if prices are yet to be announced, the service will obviously come with an extra charge because amenities such as cooling pillows and ventilation outlets will not come cheap. The airline has done its homework on sleep cycles and is thinking of allotting four-hour slots to each individual paying for the service. As a typical sleep cycle is about 90 minutes, four solid hours of sleep will give a traveller enough time to wind down, sleep and wake up refreshed. The airline hopes to have enough time to clean the pod and change the bedding after each guest is done so as to keep the hygiene level up.

Even if the airline is confident about launching Skynest, others in the industry are not as convinced. At a time when people are looking for cheap modes of transport, it seems unlikely that people would want sleeping space as an expensive add on, as per transportation analyst, Seth Kaplan. The expert also mentions that if one views the aircraft as real estate, Air New Zealand needs to take an introspective look to see if the sleeping pod is bringing in as much revenue as an economy class or business class seat in their place, and decide accordingly.

Along the same line of thinking, if lesser space, due to room required for sleeping pods, increases prices for available seats on the plane, the investment may be a loss-making one.

It is true that beds in the economy class have slow takers. Airbus had mentioned about working with aeroplane designer Zodiac to put up beds for the economy class in the cargo holds of planes, all the way back in 2018. However, it has made no mention of any developments on that front since the initial announcement, and neither does it have any mention of it on their website.

Nevertheless, Air New Zealand has been trying to make considerate moves for their economy class flyers over the years in the form of upgraded coach seats with footrests known as SkyCouch and therefore, the concept of the Skynest does not come as a breakthrough, as much as the next logical development.

The jury is still out on whether these seats will spell revenue and success for the brand but the economy class is sure touched by the thoughtfulness of the gesture.