Air New Zealand’s debuting 'world-first' sleeping pods on ultra long-haul flights in November.
Economy Skynests will be installed on six revamped Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, and open for Economy and Premium Economy passenger bookings next month.
The six pods are laid out bunk bed-style between the two cabins, furnished with mattresses, bedding, ventilation and privacy curtains.
Aviation commentator Irene King joined the Afternoons team to discuss further.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talk ZEDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
In New Zealand has introduced its new economy sky News,
becoming the first airline to offer these bunks style sleeping
pods for economy passengers on ultra long haul flights. The
pods can be booked for up to four hour periods
at a cost of four hundred and ninety five dollars.
To discuss further, we're joined by aviation commentator Irene King
youda Iren, good day, Nice to chat with you. So
(00:38):
is this going to work? Do you think is this
going to be popular with punters on these ultra long
haul flights?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. It's a response to our customer concerns
about how I'm comfortable of us on seventeen now plus
flights and economy. You know, I think it's the New
Zealand sinnovative beast. You know, we like to see them
out doing this sort of stuff.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
There's kind of a gross out reaction we're getting from
mentioning them though they just sleeping right beside other people
or wedged in and this kind of backpacker tight little
backpacker cell, so and the hot bed nature of it. So,
so do you know actually how it works. So what
happens is someone's in for four hours and then there's
(01:22):
a clean out period between you being woken up and
moved into the into the into the cell.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Yeah, look very clearly, you know, the passengers very aware
of what the clean out period is like. You know,
you've got four hours to have a great risk and
then along comes a cleaner. Now it long comes a
flight attenant, and they will do it very graciously.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
So you're not sharing the shets are going to get changed, yeah,
the change the bedding.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, look I can understand it. I have
really bad reaction myself to people was to the next
to people with smelly feet. You know, when you've done
the well, it's just a matter where you are in
the aircraft. But this is a response to customer demand.
You know, you've got an economy there sitting in some
(02:15):
of those seats for seventeen hours. It will turn off people. Now,
the thought of being able to have a reasonable rest,
you know, that will excite and ignite some people to
choose that option. And really, when you think about it,
you know it's not that much more expensive than what
you're already going.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
So say, how close does it get to your premium
economy price if you're adding another four hundred and ninety
five dollars.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Imagine the imagine for memories about two and a half
times in you sorry, that's business class premium economies, but
probably one in three quarters. Yeah, so you know there's
some good margins there. But the thing is, even in
premium economy, you know, you're still sitting upright, and as
long as you've got those net rest things, it's it's
(03:07):
quite comfortable. Seventeen hours, pretty ecky, I think.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
Is there how many of these pods will be what
are they called sorry, sky nests? Will there be per
per plane?
Speaker 3 (03:19):
I think it's I think it's six or eight. I
think it's six, you know, in the right down, I think,
And they're probably a very you know, a much quiet
and more comfortable space in there. The thing when you're
trying to sleep on aircraft, it's almost jolly noisy. You know,
there's always something going on or switched on and switched
(03:41):
off things. So they will be more comfortable.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
Top and tailing not allowed.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
No, no, there would be a safety.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Consider right, yeah, so you're in it and you're strapped in,
so you're you're buckled in there.
Speaker 5 (03:56):
Yeah wow, oh yeah, absolutely, you know that that's turbulence
is always a yeah, you know, an unknown and sometimes
very unforgiving.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Would there be soundproofing involved in these bunk beds, you know,
I mean maybe not individual soundproofing, but soundproefing from the
rest of the caven It.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Wouldn't it be nice?
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Might be needed?
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Yeah? Yeah, I can speak. So you know, if you've
ever slip dunk tried to sleep on an aircraft with
somebody snoring, it's pretty interesting. Yeah, you know, I think
there will obviously be some increased noise suppressents. But the
thing is that these you know, dreamline is that they
deploy on these ultra long haul routes. They tend to be,
(04:37):
you know, a state of the art aircraft anyway, so
you are getting some some noise suppressants go on.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Anyway, if I paid four hundred and ninety five dollars,
then I've seen how small they are, how close you are.
If you get some snoring foghorn with stinky feet, you
know they're going to be half a meter away from you.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Not even that I can see.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
Kevin Cruise getting you know, there could be some I mean,
as the admin for Kevin crew, that's what I feel for.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Yeah, yeah, I mean at the end of Zealand FEMA Suburban,
how they deal with grumpy passengers. I mean sort of
planet of their modus operando.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
Really, that's true.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
They're all over the plane, right, absolutely right, you can.
I imagine you'd be quite severed if you've got off
the end and you know, you paid for ninety nine
and all you've got was thinking even somebody snoring, you know,
you wouldn't be wouldn't be impressed.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
Yeah, as all four ninety five, because I guess there'd
be better times to go right at the start, maybe
not the best time to go in like across seventeen hours.
I guess there'll be probably three. Yeah, I'd say the
last year would be the one to get.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
Yeah, it's hard to say. You know, it depends on
have you come off a connecting flight for examples, and
these lights come out of Australia, so you know you've
got jet leg time zones, all sorts of things going on,
and when you you know, when you prefer sleep. That's
the other thing, you know, I don't know whether I'd
like to be awaken from the South Cleeve the end
(06:08):
of the trip, just to know, you know. I mean,
but the thing is that you're going to have choice,
and you can buy at once. If it doesn't work,
don't do it again, you know, So you've got choices.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
I would I would be considered your seat. Yeah, that's true. Iren,
I'd be worried about sleeping pressure. You get in there
and you're paying the money and you go go to sleep.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Now this is my four hours going to cost me
five hundred bucks.
Speaker 5 (06:33):
I've got to do it.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Yeah, Yeah, the psychology of sleep. You might find that
some of those those tablets you can take, people will
be taking those down, drinking heaps of water and hoping
that they sleep.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Yeahtimes, yeah, exactly. Just on the idea of upgrades in general, Irene,
what's your view on that. Is that more popular than
ever people upgrading, or in the climate that we're in,
people are choosing more to to rough it for lack
of a better word.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
No, Look, the upgrades are really positive because normally are
on your ear points or something like that, so you
sort of feel like you have already paid.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
For it, and so that's a good one. If I
could upgrade to a NISS just on my points, that
then that that becomes a that becomes a good option.
Speaker 5 (07:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
Absolutely, And it's a great way of the carrier wiping
up their air points because you know, they the liabilities
that's on their balance sheet. People don't realize that.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
But yeah, right, that's interesting.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
So it's a good way of changing the dynamics.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
Yip.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Yeah, Irene, thank you very much for in a chat
with us. Really interesting that is aviation commentator Irene King.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
For more from News Talks B listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcasts on IR Radio.
You're listening to a podcast from News Talk ZEDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
In New Zealand has introduced its new economy sky News,
becoming the first airline to offer these bunks style sleeping
pods for economy passengers on ultra long haul flights. The
pods can be booked for up to four hour periods
at a cost of four hundred and ninety five dollars.
To discuss further, we're joined by aviation commentator Irene King
youda Iren, good day, Nice to chat with you. So
(00:38):
is this going to work? Do you think is this
going to be popular with punters on these ultra long
haul flights?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. It's a response to our customer concerns
about how I'm comfortable of us on seventeen now plus
flights and economy. You know, I think it's the New
Zealand sinnovative beast. You know, we like to see them
out doing this sort of stuff.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
There's kind of a gross out reaction we're getting from
mentioning them though they just sleeping right beside other people
or wedged in and this kind of backpacker tight little
backpacker cell, so and the hot bed nature of it. So,
so do you know actually how it works. So what
happens is someone's in for four hours and then there's
(01:22):
a clean out period between you being woken up and
moved into the into the into the cell.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Yeah, look very clearly, you know, the passengers very aware
of what the clean out period is like. You know,
you've got four hours to have a great risk and
then along comes a cleaner. Now it long comes a
flight attenant, and they will do it very graciously.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
So you're not sharing the shets are going to get changed, yeah,
the change the bedding.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, look I can understand it. I have
really bad reaction myself to people was to the next
to people with smelly feet. You know, when you've done
the well, it's just a matter where you are in
the aircraft. But this is a response to customer demand.
You know, you've got an economy there sitting in some
(02:15):
of those seats for seventeen hours. It will turn off people. Now,
the thought of being able to have a reasonable rest,
you know, that will excite and ignite some people to
choose that option. And really, when you think about it,
you know it's not that much more expensive than what
you're already going.
Speaker 4 (02:37):
So say, how close does it get to your premium
economy price if you're adding another four hundred and ninety
five dollars.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Imagine the imagine for memories about two and a half
times in you sorry, that's business class premium economies, but
probably one in three quarters. Yeah, so you know there's
some good margins there. But the thing is, even in
premium economy, you know, you're still sitting upright, and as
long as you've got those net rest things, it's it's
(03:07):
quite comfortable. Seventeen hours, pretty ecky, I think.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
Is there how many of these pods will be what
are they called sorry, sky nests? Will there be per
per plane?
Speaker 3 (03:19):
I think it's I think it's six or eight. I
think it's six, you know, in the right down, I think,
And they're probably a very you know, a much quiet
and more comfortable space in there. The thing when you're
trying to sleep on aircraft, it's almost jolly noisy. You know,
there's always something going on or switched on and switched
(03:41):
off things. So they will be more comfortable.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
Top and tailing not allowed.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
No, no, there would be a safety.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Consider right, yeah, so you're in it and you're strapped in,
so you're you're buckled in there.
Speaker 5 (03:56):
Yeah wow, oh yeah, absolutely, you know that that's turbulence
is always a yeah, you know, an unknown and sometimes
very unforgiving.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Would there be soundproofing involved in these bunk beds, you know,
I mean maybe not individual soundproofing, but soundproefing from the
rest of the caven It.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Wouldn't it be nice?
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Might be needed?
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Yeah? Yeah, I can speak. So you know, if you've
ever slip dunk tried to sleep on an aircraft with
somebody snoring, it's pretty interesting. Yeah, you know, I think
there will obviously be some increased noise suppressents. But the
thing is that these you know, dreamline is that they
deploy on these ultra long haul routes. They tend to be,
(04:37):
you know, a state of the art aircraft anyway, so
you are getting some some noise suppressants go on.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Anyway, if I paid four hundred and ninety five dollars,
then I've seen how small they are, how close you are.
If you get some snoring foghorn with stinky feet, you
know they're going to be half a meter away from you.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Not even that I can see.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
Kevin Cruise getting you know, there could be some I mean,
as the admin for Kevin crew, that's what I feel for.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Yeah, yeah, I mean at the end of Zealand FEMA Suburban,
how they deal with grumpy passengers. I mean sort of
planet of their modus operando.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
Really, that's true.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
They're all over the plane, right, absolutely right, you can.
I imagine you'd be quite severed if you've got off
the end and you know, you paid for ninety nine
and all you've got was thinking even somebody snoring, you know,
you wouldn't be wouldn't be impressed.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
Yeah, as all four ninety five, because I guess there'd
be better times to go right at the start, maybe
not the best time to go in like across seventeen hours.
I guess there'll be probably three. Yeah, I'd say the
last year would be the one to get.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
Yeah, it's hard to say. You know, it depends on
have you come off a connecting flight for examples, and
these lights come out of Australia, so you know you've
got jet leg time zones, all sorts of things going on,
and when you you know, when you prefer sleep. That's
the other thing, you know, I don't know whether I'd
like to be awaken from the South Cleeve the end
(06:08):
of the trip, just to know, you know. I mean,
but the thing is that you're going to have choice,
and you can buy at once. If it doesn't work,
don't do it again, you know, So you've got choices.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
I would I would be considered your seat. Yeah, that's true. Iren,
I'd be worried about sleeping pressure. You get in there
and you're paying the money and you go go to sleep.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Now this is my four hours going to cost me
five hundred bucks.
Speaker 5 (06:33):
I've got to do it.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Yeah, Yeah, the psychology of sleep. You might find that
some of those those tablets you can take, people will
be taking those down, drinking heaps of water and hoping
that they sleep.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Yeahtimes, yeah, exactly. Just on the idea of upgrades in general, Irene,
what's your view on that. Is that more popular than
ever people upgrading, or in the climate that we're in,
people are choosing more to to rough it for lack
of a better word.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
No, Look, the upgrades are really positive because normally are
on your ear points or something like that, so you
sort of feel like you have already paid.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
For it, and so that's a good one. If I
could upgrade to a NISS just on my points, that
then that that becomes a that becomes a good option.
Speaker 5 (07:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
Absolutely, And it's a great way of the carrier wiping
up their air points because you know, they the liabilities
that's on their balance sheet. People don't realize that.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
But yeah, right, that's interesting.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
So it's a good way of changing the dynamics.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
Yip.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Yeah, Irene, thank you very much for in a chat
with us. Really interesting that is aviation commentator Irene King.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
For more from News Talks B listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcasts on IR Radio.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Betrayal Season 5
Saskia Inwood woke up one morning, knowing her life would never be the same. The night before, she learned the unimaginable – that the husband she knew in the light of day was a different person after dark. This season unpacks Saskia’s discovery of her husband’s secret life and her fight to bring him to justice. Along the way, we expose a crime that is just coming to light. This is also a story about the myth of the “perfect victim:” who gets believed, who gets doubted, and why. We follow Saskia as she works to reclaim her body, her voice, and her life. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at betrayalpod@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.