Air New Zealand invites economy passengers to join mile-high sleep club in world first

AdvertisementNew ZealandAsiaAustralasiaAir New Zealand invites economy passengers to join mile-high sleep club in world firstSocks are mandatory and crumbs, strong perfumes and bed-sharing are forbidden as fliers get cosy with their fellow passengers 2-MIN READ2-MIN ListenAssociated PressPublished: 10:23am, 18 Apr 2026Sleep on a long-haul flight in economy class has always been a fantasy for many travellers. Air New Zealand will soon offer a solution that involves climbing into a triple-tier bunk bed wearing special socks. The airline will soon open bookings for four-hour stints in the Skynest sleep pods and says they will be the first lie-flat beds for budget air travellers. Fliers will get cosy with their fellow passengers, however, so crumbs, strong perfumes and bed-sharing are forbidden. The curtained berths will be available to economy and premium economy fliers on the airline’s new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft from November.AdvertisementThe planes will service the Auckland to New York route, which is one of the world’s longest commercial flights and leaves economy passengers sitting upright for a marathon 16 to 18 hours. Travellers will have the option of a pre-booked four-hour spot in a curtained pod, with costs starting from NZ$495 (US$290) on top of the price of their economy tickets. Access to the sleep pods “requires bending, kneeling, crawling or climbing into the space”, the airline says. Photo: Air New ZealandBut use of the six pods, arranged in a triple-bunk style layout between cabins, will put fliers in close proximity to others, prompting the airline to publish etiquette notes. AdvertisementSelect VoiceSelect Speed0.8x0.9x1.0x1.1x1.2x1.5x1.75x00:0000:001.00x