Recently, Air New Zealand announced the launch of its new Skynest, an innovative add-on available to Economy and Premium Economy passengers on selected long-haul flights.
Skynest features six individual lie-flat sleep pods, giving travellers the chance to book a four-hour session during their journey. It’s a great option if you want to properly stretch out, get some sleep and arrive at your destination feeling a little more refreshed.
Each Skynest comes with fresh linen, a pillow and blanket, and there are a few rules designed to keep the area peaceful for everyone. Think lights out, minimal noise and no entertainment devices during your session. Skynest is also only available to passengers aged 15 years and over.
The pods are located between the Premium Economy and Economy cabins and, initially, are only available on Air New Zealand’s newly configured Boeing 787-9 aircraft. In simple terms, you’re most likely to see them on the airline’s ultra-long-haul services, including New York.
Prices start from $495 for a four-hour session, which is an additional cost on top of your normal airfare.
For travellers who don’t necessarily want to pay for Business Class but would love a few hours lying completely flat on a long journey, I think it’s a pretty clever concept, and one I’m sure will prove popular.
More planes, more routes, more choice
Over the next six months, we’re going to see more aircraft in the skies, more routes opening up and, importantly, more competition for travellers flying in and out of New Zealand.
Across the Tasman, Sydney’s new Western Sydney International Airport is due to open later this year. It won’t replace the existing Sydney Airport, but will provide much-needed additional capacity as passenger numbers continue to grow.
Closer to home, Air New Zealand now has most of its fleet back in service after several years of aircraft and engine challenges. That should put the airline in a much stronger position to look at new routes and additional capacity over the coming years.
Another exciting development is the expected return of Thai Airways to New Zealand by the end of the year, bringing direct Auckland–Bangkok services back into the market. This will be a welcome addition, particularly for travellers heading to Thailand and onward into Asia and Europe.
Qatar Airways is also getting more involved in the Trans-Tasman market. From 10 December, the airline is set to offer services across the Tasman to both Melbourne and Brisbane, giving travellers another option between New Zealand and Australia as well as connections into Qatar Airways’ extensive international network.
The Melbourne service will replace the current Adelaide routing, so we’ll see another change in how Qatar Airways operates within this part of the world.
For travellers, more airlines, more aircraft and more competition are generally good news. More capacity creates greater choice and, hopefully, some healthy competition when it comes to airfares.
After a few challenging years for aviation, it’s great to see the skies around New Zealand getting busier again.
Dave Leary
Dave Leary Travel 021 140 1150
