There was a large headrest on every seat that could be raised to support taller passengers. Taking the Economy step-up comes at a cost. 6 replies; 2 week south / north island trip itinerary 16 replies; 2 Weeks New Zealand - February or March 2012 . If you dont want to fork out for the full upgrade, Id definitely recommend paying to sit in that row with preferred seating. Above, the Skycouch configuration, prior to the cabin crew supplying the bedding and pillows that make it so comfortable. I travel by Premium Ecnomy most long haul (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? The cost of the upgrade varies depending on factors like the length of your trip and whether you've already bought one or two seats on the flight. Air New Zealand has 13 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in its fleet, including four 787-9s. On Air New Zealand's website, there are actual photos of two adults sharing one Skycouch. As you can imagine, this ticket wasn't cheap at $2,016. If youre seated in a Skycouch row with other passengers, you can still pop up your footrest half way or the whole way, and enjoy a little extra flexibility in your seated position. After you selected your language on the IFE system, you saw a message asking if you wanted to watch a short video about your seat. * The 360 panorama is of our 787-9 service. Back then, it was dubbed Cuddle Class by the press, and it was lauded as cutting-edge. This flight set a new high bar for me when it comes to premium economy service." FLYING WITH BABY POLICY (INFANTS UNDER 2 YEARS OLD) When you fly within New Zealand, infants travel for free. It only takes a few seconds and we respect your privacy: Your email address will not be published. Should you consider the Air New Zealand Skycouch for your next long-haul family flight? They are AirNZ's old business class and are well worth the extra $. This is, after all, the prize that one Head for Points reader will be winning. You can get Aeroplan miles by transferring American Express Membership Rewards points, Marriott Bonvoy points or Capital One miles. AIR New Zealand's Skycouch seat adds a touch of class, and lie flat sleeping, to the Economy cabin. You can stretch out fully, and you can set the seat up better than a quality recliner. In December (2019) our family flew from Auckland to San Francisco on Air New Zealand with four of our children (ages 9, 12, 15 and 16). And every time I visited the galley, one of the dedicated premium economy flight attendants was stationed in the galley, ready to provide a drink of my choice or simply chat. (US$870) extra one way to add the feature, which makes the cost just shy of a premium economy ticket. I measured my seat recline -- the difference in pitch when the seat is fully upright versus fully reclined -- at 7 inches. I found the touchscreen responsive, so I didn't need to use the remote. It comes with a bedding package of mattress topper, pillows and blanket. Window seats have a great "shelf" between seat and window, with storage cabinet beneath. When we were planning our trip, we knew the flights would be a bit tough. However, there is definitely more room. It's Kiwi to me: A review of Air New Zealand's 777-300ER in business class Seats are no wider than economy (the OLD economy, which has wider seats than the NEW 777 economy) but comfy. I've just flown back to NZ from LA in AirNZ's brand new 747-300 all fitted out in the new seating arrangements. 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. air new zealand premium economy vs skycouch, Re: air new zealand premium economy vs skycouch, Get answers to your questions about New Zealand, Rental Car Insurance - when it all goes wrong, How much time between international and domestic flights, No drones in national parks or 4km of flight paths or airports. Sign up for the latest from The Broke Generation. There was a crisp, 9.- inch-by-5.5-inch IFE screen on the back of each seat. My husband and I recently flew Akl to Lax and booked the sky couch. /]. The pillow was too large to use as it was designed, so I resorted to hugging it while sleeping. var today = new Date() You have to curl your feet in, and they are not that wide. In a ground-breaking move, however, Air New Zealand is actually giving coach fliers . If you fly NZ to LHR say, 2 would be cheaper in skycouch than 2 in PE. Preboarding for passengers with limited mobility and families started five minutes before the scheduled boarding time. Even so, security only took 12 minutes. Canggu is dead. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. There were also two universal power outlets between each pair of seats, so each passenger had access to their own outlet. It's been nicknamed "cuddle class", to lie down with your partner you will need to "spoon". Her byline has appeared in publications including Vogue Australia, News.com.au, New Zealand Herald and Escape. Air New Zealand S 787 9 The Shape Of Longhaul To E Runway. And, children no longer need to be woken and placed on an adult's lap during turbulence (a big plus in our book!). These adjust to 60 and 90 degrees. The new skycouch is placed between cattle class and premium and allows for a little more room, but not much. Best card for premium perks while traveling, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, United rolls out free fleetwide Wi-Fi for select flyers, Everything you need to know about Amex Travel. The biggest problem? In the wake of the pandemic, airlines have become scarily adept at penny pinching. You could control the IFE system by using the touchscreen or the remote near your thigh. Would it be big enough for the two of us to sleep any better than normal? Between meals, there was a snack basket in the galley. Being able to cross your legs or stretch out across all 3 seats while watching movies or reading was such a luxury, and it just felt far less squished than a standard economy seat. The seats themselves are nothing special, they are . Search prices for multiple airlines. Plus, your own feed of TPG content. In this article, I want to focus on their Economy service and the Economy Skycouch. The gate area appeared clean, and there was enough power and seating in the gate area for the passengers traveling on this flight. The price shown is for a normal Economy seat. So you need to be travelling with some one. For our flights, the total cost for the Skycouch was $400 for the trip from Los Angeles to Auckland and about $450 for Auckland to Houston, Texas. With the implementation of child-friendly equipment upgrades in 2018, the Air New Zealand Skycouch remains an innovative and world-class offering that is unique to the airline. I had the salmon, which was served with a poached chicken salad with green beans, peaches and pecans and an apple toffee mousse cake. 2. The country's national airline and flag carrier, Air New Zealand (NZ) was founded in 1940 as Tasman Empire Airways Limited, or TEAL. There are some reviews in the air travel forum. We do not write about all credit and debit card products/offers available in the market. I liked them and more importantly so did the wife. Copyright Nationwide News Pty Ltd all rights reserved, 5 viral TikTok products weve loved in February. Enjoy our inflight entertainment while the kids stretch out and play. There was a safety card and motion sickness bag in the pocket, but no other material. 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. Air NZ went for a better, sharper screen and a new OS. Even when you have done this it is still less space than if they stayed in the up right position. My wife and I just got back from a two-week trip to New Zealand. But whats really better lying down or deep reclining? The Skycouch Infant Harness, Belt and Pod is complimentary for all Economy Skycouch customers travelling with infants. We acknowledge that we live and work on the land of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nations. You can see the extra Skycouch cost when you select your seat. RECLINE 130 degrees. The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. Even when the passenger ahead of me fully reclined, I was able to work comfortably with my laptop on the tray table. Why arent we angrier about it? And you wouldn't believe what was painted on the loo walls! We explore how the Air New Zealand Skycouch works and whether you should choose it over Premium Economy? When it's time to rest, we'll help you get your Skycouch set up. They are AirNZ's old business class and are well worth the extra $. When you click through an outbound link to apply for a credit or debit card product, you will be taken directly to the product issuers website. There was also a 4-inch-by-5.25-inch shared table between each pair of seats, but it was too small to hold two glasses. NZ's Premium Economy product on the B787/B777's is better than most of the other competitors on Trans Tasman routes. In the current Air New Zealand sale, which ends on 23rd September, prices start at 449 for Economy, 870 for Premium Economy and 2,327 for Business Premier. Re: air new zealand premium economy vs skycouch. the Skycouch is new so I'm not sure you'll get anybody that has tried them yet. Friendly fifth freedom: A review of Air New Zealand's 777-300ER in premium economy, LAX to London, This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. In premium economy, Lufthansa will be introducing seats with a hard shell that recline by sliding forwards, a fold-out leg rest, privacy dividers by the headrest, and 15.6 entertainment monitors. The rows that convert to Skycouch are different seats from the standard economy seating. You have to shuffle around a bit to find a position that you can both fit into, and of course, you cant stretch your legs all the way out youd be in the aisle otherwise. It's hard to get there. Share. The new skycouch is placed between cattle class and premium and allows for a little more room, but not much. Air New Zealand | Air Points - Some Advice - Economy Skycouch vs Premium Economy Spaceseat? This is based on my own personal experience. No one was using the skycouch. Taking the Economy step-up comes at a cost. The Air New Zealand Space Seat, offered on its 777-300 Premium Economy, gives passengers space and privacy with . They were fluffy and not at all soggy, which was unexpected considering they'd been reheated on board. The Definitive To Air New Zealand U S Routes Plane Types. South and North 20 days NZ Itinerary Review Request APR23! Air New Zealand has filed patent and trademark applications for the "Economy Skynest" -- the result of three years of research, development and testing. KEYWidebody Jets Boeing 777-200ER (772) Seats: 26 Business Premier 246 Economy . you can fly some airlines on unexpected routes, discontinue this fifth-freedom route in 2020, passport to be returned after a visa application, 3 reasons to fly premium economy (and 1 reason not to), American Express Membership Rewards points, Choose this, not that: LAX Priority Pass lounge edition, safety video was also pretty entertaining, a cabin class where service is often lacking, Its Kiwi to me: A review of Air New Zealands 777-300ER in business class, Fifth-freedom fun: Air New Zealands 777 business class from London to LAX, Business lite: Air New Zealands Skycouch (787-9) from Auckland to Houston, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Here's what it was like to fly in premium economy on Air New Zealand's 777-300ER from LAX to LHR. My husband and I recently flew Akl to Lax and booked the sky couch. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-31116128', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');flights and fully recommend it. So you and your friend or family member can stretch out. Each person can choose if they want their footrest up or down. There is far less privacy than a Business class seat. There were plenty of movies and television shows, including various recent options. Before departure, warm towels and menus were handed out, but no predeparture beverage was offered. Crunching the numbers, if you're an adult travelling with children, the cost to upgrade from base-level economy to the Skycouch lie-flat configuration ranges between $379 and $1,326. This article is not sponsored by or affiliated with Air New Zealand. The 244-seat Economy cabin is split into two sections that are located from the middle of the wings through to the rear of the aircraft, mostly in a 3-4-3 configuration. Here's how to fight back. Answer 11 of 12: Our hotel in Taupo is suggesting we drive the Palmerston road from Taupo to Napier..it looks like it is about 5 hours..does any one have any recent experience with this drivewhat are the road conditions.. are their detours etc? . The footrest extended from the legrest instead of being attached to the seat ahead of you. 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.". There was no live TV, streaming entertainment or tail camera. Trip Verified | The plane was quite new, seat was well padded, Air NZ clearly improved the pitch of the seat and these seats on the A321 is quite spacious. 2. Does anyone have any experience with rental companies and have any recommendations? Economy Skycouch seats are featured on this aircraft and are available for purchase at an additional cost. We even have an extension seat belt for when you want to lie down. It was originally intended for two adults to lie side by side in economy. We both fitted VERY VERY snuggly with me being able to feel my husband breathing on the back of my neck (thats how close we were.) The Air New Zealand Skycouch isn't bookable as a separate cabin class. The rest is up in the air. Storage is the other main problem, which is more difficult to solve but could be improved by adding additional seatback pockets. I had to choose between two meals: black-bean-and-scrambled-egg-filled wheat quesadilla with linguica and tomatillo sauce or apple, banana and buckwheat pancakes with berry compote and sweet syrup. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If you're a tall person, you'll struggle to stretch out, but you do gain length by lying diagonally. Essentially, you get a row of three economy seats with special leg rests that flip up to make a flat surface on which you can lie down. 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. Read more: Jet Airways is on the brink of collapse. When I started looking into whether the upgrade was worth it, I came across some positive reviews. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-31116213', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');plane recently and while we did not fly anywhere, we were able to try all the seats. But on the Economy Skycouch, I slept for 9 hours of a 12 hour flight. Will we ever be able to fly from New York to Paris in under 4 hours again? The first beverage service occurred 25 minutes after takeoff. Seats will have 24 personal televisions, USB-A, USB-C, and AC power outlets, and bluetooth audio. Air NZ's eight new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners which arrive in 2024 will come with the brand new interior and seating options already built-in. Its like a shorter version of a standard single bed, and there are 20 of them on a 777-300 and 13 - 14 on a 787-9.Premium is a fancier version of Economy, in its own cabin and with larger leather seats and more legroom. I travel by Premium Ecnomy most long haul flights and fully recommend it. If two adults are sharing a Skycouch, thats when its good value with the fare increasing from $600 for two. Thank you very. The Australian Business Traveller has an on line report with lots of photos of all three cabins. The headphones were light and seemed inexpensive, but they fit well and provided decent sound. From New York, it'll take you about 20 hours to get to Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city. Skycouch is a great option for families, couples and those just wanting a bit of extra personal space.". I did hear people complain, but hey, people like to complain. Menus available on the screen, ordering snacks at the touch of a finger, internet, news and tourist info right there in front of you. Air New Zealand gives you an instruction booklet, and the flight attendants will help you get settled. Menus available on the screen, ordering snacks at the touch of a finger, internet, news and tourist info right there in front of you. 'D been reheated on board, sharper screen and a New OS when 's. Be improved by adding additional seatback pockets seating arrangements this article is not air new zealand skycouch vs premium economy by or affiliated with Air Zealand! And have any recommendations any better than normal see the extra Skycouch cost when have... 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