Air New Zealand's SKY-COUCH
by Liv | Published on January 26th, 2010, 3:30 am | Travel
Why no one thought of this sooner I'll never know. It's been a staple of half empty aircrafts and savvy flyers for some time. In fact our ability to sprawl out is one reason we chose the flight we did the last couple times we flew. It's a great answer to selling additional seats too. What took so long for the airlines to figure this out though?
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“For those who choose, the days of sitting in economy and yearning to lie down and sleep are gone,’’ Mr. Fyfe said in a statement. “The dream is now a reality, one that you can even share with a travelling companion – just keep your clothes on.”
Air New Zealand, which has proven to be an inventive airline under Chief Executive Rob Fyfe, unveiled a new design for coach seating that turns three seats on a Boeing 777 into a “sky couch,’’ letting couples snuggle, kids jump around or single travelers spread out.
The seats, designed by the airline and built by manufacturer Recaro, have large flip-up cushions that fill the space between the end of the seat and the next row of seats. Arm rests retract and you have a flat surface. Seat-belt extenders enable passengers to be buckled in when prone. From pictures, the design appears to be an elegant offering for more-comfortable sleeping in coach seats. But it’s still coach–space will still be in short supply.
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Of course this doesn't address the people whom are too tall, and block the aisle, or the heavy snorers whom keep the other passengers awake. For someone like me who sleeps in a little ball anyhow, but can never sleep upright, it's a godsend.