A Skycouch allows one row of 3 seats to convert into a flat 'bed . Well done AIRNZ. The friendly service is the most memorable part of this flight for me, but the excellent food, comfortable seats and generous pitch are certainly reasons I'd want to fly Air New Zealand's premium economy product again. What definiately cuts down your space is when the seats in front are reclined which means you have to do that to yours. You could plug your personal headphones into a jack under the IFE screen or plug in the provided headphones to a jack above the remote near your thigh. However, if you're keen to take a detour to New Zealand prior to heading to Europe or the USA, then the Skycouch is definitely an option. Flights have gotten longer and longer, but economy seats are only getting smaller and smaller. If one of you is wider than average you might find yourself stuck! Kay and Mike, the two dedicated flight attendants working in the Premium Economy cabin on my flight, did an excellent job of being friendly, personable and approachable while also being professional and efficient. Your email address will not be published. In this case, we've selected a Skycouch right in front of the lavatories never a good idea! Each person can choose if they want their footrest up or down. Its so wide I can easily roll over, but with the 1.5m length, its a matter of sleeping with my legs curled up. It's called the Skycouch. Each seat had a USB outlet under the IFE screen. Premium Economy: According to Air New Zealand, this seat option allows for "more privacy and protected space where you can recline at leisure without interrupting the person behind.". This is inclusive of the Skycouch rows. With takeoff complete - twilight now dancing on the horizon - I reclined my chair, donned a pair of the airline's complimentary socks and turned my attention to the inflight entertainment.. As the saying goes: this is what we came for. I was able to attend an opening of the new (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? The Skycouch Infant Harness, Belt and Pod is complimentary for all Economy Skycouch customers travelling with infants. The bulkhead seats had the same legrest and footrest as the other premium economy seats, but they also had an IFE screen that extended from the armrest. In Premium, the cost doubles as it's two seats. Poppy039, could you clarify which seating that you liked, please? 3. Generally speaking, a journey in Skycouch costs around the price of 2.5 economy seats. That said, has anyone got first had experience of the premium economy seats and/or the skycouch seats? One could sit up normally and the other could lie down with their legs across you or something. How Much Are You Actually Meant to Gift at Weddings? - Hi All My first post here - I've been reading this forum for a few years now and enjoy it immensely! Instead of setting a separate price for Skycouch, Air New Zealand charged for one economy seat plus an additional fee (which depended on how many people were splitting the Skycouch). It is the additional belts and harnesses that make Skycouch work so effectively for those travelling with children. I've just flown back to NZ from LA in AirNZ's brand new 747-300 all fitted out in the new seating arrangements. I sleep solidly for half the 13 hour trip. We do not write about all credit and debit card products/offers available in the market. During boarding, multiple staff happily greeted me at passport check, on the ramp, at the door to the aircraft and as I made my way to my seat. Find the right card for you. Were not the slimmest people in the world, but were also not large, so Id say people smaller than us would be fine, but anyone much larger or taller might find it less comfortable as a two, and be better suited to one to themselves. Was nice not having anyone recline into you. For the two of us to share a Skycouch from LA to Auckland (12.5 hours), we paid $549AUD. Im no stranger to landing after a full 28 hour flight with zero sleep whatsoever. For dinner, there was a choice of braised lamb shank with soft rosemary polenta, aubergine with capers and pine nuts; Canadian steelhead salmon with peperonata, olive oil mashed potatoes, fennel and spinach compote; and wood-roasted chicken breast with honey roast parsnips and heritage carrots. Ultimately it's a supply and demand exercise. If not,try Air new Zealand frequent flyer site on Flyertalk. [flight_stats ticket-class="econ" review-stat-section="Cabin and Seat" tpg-rating="25" tpg-rating-max="30" configuration="2" configuration-2="4" configuration-3="2" width="19.5" pitch="41.5" tray="19" tray-2="10" lavs="2" live-tv="0" tailcam="0" headphones="0" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="0" turndown-service="0" /]. Between meals, there was a snack basket in the galley. New Zealand. Hi. Since I was returning on a different review flight, we booked a one-way ticket from Los Angeles to London Heathrow in premium economy on Air New Zealand and from LHR to Abu Dhabi (AUH) in economy on Etihad. As an example, on the Air New Zealand Boeing 787, economy class commences at row 35, with the couches available in rows 37 to 44 in seats ABC and in rows 36 to 40 in seats HJK. The safety video was also pretty entertaining, especially since it included a robot I've programmed in the past: A flight map on the IFE system allowed you to watch looping maps and information, or you could select particular views or information. Air New Zealand will soon allow economy passengers to lie down and take a nap in communal, bunk bed-style sleeping pods on its planes, as it attempts to entice passengers on to its more than 17 . document.write(year) I have read that the new premium economy seats may not be very comfortable and would be disappointed it that were so but would be upset to purchase them and find it more uncomfortable than coach or the skycouch. In all the photos I've seen they don't show this. I've just flown back to NZ from LA in AirNZ's brand new 747-300 all fitted out in the new seating arrangements. In Premium, theres no shortage of fab extras the big leather seat, amenity kit, special food and drinks menu, bigger TV screen, noise cancelling headphones, bigger pillow and a dedicated, high-end crew who call you by your name throughout the journey. If two adults are sharing a Skycouch, thats when its good value with the fare increasing from $600 for two. Both features are available on Air New Zealands long-haul flights that connect out of Auckland to destinations like Vancouver, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The pillow was too large to use as it was designed, so I resorted to hugging it while sleeping. As a first of its kind product, Air New Zealand launched Skycouch in 2011 as a flexible game-changing product for everyone to add a little luxury to Economy flight. This is how Air New Zealand describes the seats on its website: "Create a flat, flexible space for you to enjoy however you like. As a notoriously bad sleeper, it takes serious comfort for me to be able to drift off. Even so, security only took 12 minutes. And you wouldn't believe what was painted on the loo walls! So, which should you choose? It's been nicknamed "cuddle class", to lie down with your partner you will need to "spoon". The Skycouch boasts a length of 5'1 (1.55m) across the 3 seats. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. Air New Zealand - Airpoints. Discover a better way to fly and thebest way to shorten long haul. The ordinary ecconomy seats feel a bit narrow, but there seemed to be more leg room than usual, and even in the middle seat you can stand up without banging your head. Sign up for our newsletter for the latest tech news and scoops delivered daily to your inbox. The arm rest on the window side goes all the way up to create a comfortable lounge space. Traveling around the North Island post cyclone? Although Air New Zealand will discontinue this fifth-freedom route in 2020, the airline will still fly its 777-300ER on other long-haul flights between Auckland (AKL) and the U.S. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. more. Air New Zealand currently operates such a route between Los Angeles and London Heathrow. If you're seeking a lie-flat experience, Skycouch is superior to Premium Economy and can be cheaper. The amenity kit included an eye mask, socks, dental kit with toothbrush and 5-gram Colgate toothpaste, Ashley & Co intensive lip balm, earplugs and a pen. The USB outlet and power outlet both worked well, and the power outlet had a twist-to-lock feature, so my plug didn't fall out accidentally. Its not flat, nor even close to it, but comfy enough to snooze. Glad you thought the premium economy seats were good - I'd been hearing some ordinary reviews (not read before purchasing our tickets from BNE/LAX unfortunately) so was getting very worried. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in United Kingdom. Skycouch is a great option for families, couples and those just wanting a bit of extra personal space. Economy Skycouch seats are featured on this aircraft and are available for purchase at an additional cost. The Skycouch Pod will be made available for customers with . The ordinary ecconomy seats feel a bit narrow, but there seemed to be more leg room than usual, and even in the middle seat you can stand up without banging your head. The seats are the same as an Economy seat, except you have an additional footrest that folds to form a couch. Select your flights. You can stretch out fully, and you can set the seat up better than a quality recliner. If you're traveling alone, the upgrade can be a lot more expensive, because you've only purchased one seat on the flight. For comfort and space in the Economy step-up race, Skycouch wins hands down and is as good as some Business beds I have flown. They need to travel with someone who is at least 15 years old, or book as an unaccompanied minor. And since these seats didn't have a hard shell, you could feel when the passenger behind you added or removed items from the pocket. Rubbing shoulders, elbows and just about everything else when packed into the confines of cattleclass often tops the list of whats most hated about flying.Skycouch is three Economy seats that fold out into one large sleeping space, while Premium Economy is a bigger, wider chair in its own cabin. air new zealand premium economy vs skycouch 37 replies; Car Rentals - Do NOT Use Apex Car Rentals 100 replies; One Month New Zealand Itinerary 5 replies; When is the rainy season in new zealand? Here's what it was like to fly in premium economy on Air New Zealand's 777-300ER from LAX to LHR. /]. There are some reviews in the air travel forum. In 2011, Air New Zealand introduced something called Skycouch: a row of three economy seats which can fold forward to create a completely flat space, one big enough for two people to sleep next to . Air New Zealand has had its SkyNest concept in development for the past five years and announced on June 28 it's ready for prime timein 2024. However, if you plan ahead, you can book LAX to LHR in premium economy on Air New Zealand for a little as $749 one-way or $1,338 round-trip. I liked them and more importantly so did the wife. Here are 5 airlines that have gone bust since October. In Premium, the cost doubles as its two seats. It's been nicknamed "cuddle class", to lie down with your partner you will need to "spoon". So we ended up with two skycouch rows, one per person. This is for the first part of our trip which is for the North Island. But according to Skyscanner . Check here before booking an award fare. The premium economy seats or the skycouch? She tested the special seats as a solo traveler but she also warned that they might be a tight fit for a couple (more on that later). This Air New Zealand trip put to the test the Economy step-up options, comparing the Skycouch and Premium in terms of space, comfort, extras and price. Pros: "We paid $400CAD as a OneUp bid to upgrade to Skycouch. I attempted to check in at a kiosk but was directed to see an agent after the kiosk printed a bag tag. Air New Zealand operates the world's 4th longest flight between New York and Auckland at over 8,800 miles. So you need to be travelling with some one. Additionally, the routes will only lead back to New Zealand. That said, has anyone got first had experience of the premium economy seats and/or the skycouch seats? Im in the middle of the Economy cabin on Air New Zealand, and am lying down flat with my head on a comfy pillow and plenty of space to stretch out. The sky couch cost was $1200 extra and that was return. [flight_stats ticket-class="econ" review-stat-section="Amenities and IFE" tpg-rating="24" tpg-rating-max="30" screen="11" live-tv="No" tailcam="No" headphones="Yes" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="0" turndown-service="0" /]. I also visited the Star Alliance business-class lounge, which I could access as a Star Alliance Gold member through status with Asiana. The premium-economy cabin featured 33 recliner seats in a 2-3-2 . The row of airline seats is just over 5 feet long, and 29 inches wide. [tpg_rating ticket-class="premium-economy" tpg-rating-score="83" ground-experience="8" cabin-seat="25" amens-ife="24" food-bev="16" service="10" pros="Friendly service, comfortable seat with great pitch, excellent meals, modern IFE and orderly boarding." Related: 3 reasons to fly premium economy (and 1 reason not to). It's similar to purchasing a seat in an exit row. Or was it the economy seats? If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Most other passengers I noticed weren't using the pillow at all. Alternatively, you may use. For the purpose of this article I sniffed around for a more accurate idea of how the pricing works, but unfortunately it depends on the route and the demand on that specific flight. I prefer the "old Premium Econ" (ie the SanFran to Auck 747 planes). This was one of my main worries when I slammed down the $549 fee. 1. Air New Zealand Skycouch Review. We found we could not move around much so decided to go top and tail which for us, was way better. A great concept if you can't quite afford the premium but want to be able to lay flat and are also, not too large. Or was it the economy seats? You could control the IFE system by using the touchscreen or the remote near your thigh. However, there is definitely more room. 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