This makes the roughly NZ$100-an-hour nap on Air New Zealand’s Skynest a sweet spot for those who might be debating whether it’s worth forking out money for a premium economy or business class seat.
SOME SLEEP IS BETTER THAN NONE
My only grouse would be that passengers are limited to only one four-hour block per flight.
However, according to research, each sleep cycle averages 90 minutes, which means four hours is generous enough for a passenger to wind down, get that 90-minute cycle in and gently awaken before they have to return to their economy seat.
As a plebeian traveller on a budget, some quality sleep is certainly better than none, so I would gladly pay for this privilege.
The larger question is that as travel demand continues, will more airlines start to innovate more flat-bed options for economy class passengers.
Some airlines, including Air New Zealand and All Nippon Airways, have pioneered “sleeper rows” where passengers can pay an additional fare on selected flights to book a row of coach seats. These seats typically come with leg rests that can flip up to create a broader lie-flat space.
While solo travellers might still find it pricey to buy out an entire row of seats, couples or families with young children will surely enjoy this option of sharing three economy class seats among two people.