Slumber side-by-side

Air New Zealand has introduced Skycouch, for economy class passengers that allows them to sleep almost horizontally by adapting a row of three seats . The new seats will be fitted on the airline?s new Boeing 777-300ER due for deliver this November.

While not exactly the 180 degree sleeping position offered in premium travel class, it gets pretty close by flattening three seats into a bed-like couch. Twenty-two sets of Skycouch seats will be available, on the first 11 window rows in the economy class cabin.

Essentially,  it is an adaptation of the practice of removing armrests and lying across three seats when there are vacant rows. However, due to changes to the seat design, the gaps and rough spots are smoothed out and the leg rests rise to fill the space between rows.

Two people can sleep side-by-side, presumably friends or lovers, but they have to buy the middle seat. For two adults, travelling together, they will buy two ?standard? fares with the middle seat sold at half price. Fare details will be announced when it goes on sale in late April. The new seats will best suit a parent and child, or a single ?All Blacks? rugby player.

The new seats will be introduced on Auckland-Los Angeles flights in December and Auckland-London in April. They will not be available on the route to Hong Kong, the closest point to Thailand in the airline?s network. But if the concept works other airlines are likely to follow that have long haul routes to Bangkok.

Air New Zealand will refit eight Boeing 777-200 aircraft from mid next year, allowing it to offer the latest configurations on routes to Asia, North America and UK by around 2012.

The 340 seat 777-300 aircraft will be configured with 246 in economy (including 66 seats creating 22 Skycouch combinations), 50 in premium economy and 44 in business premier.

Sourced = The TTR Weekly