Air New Zealand’s ‘Cuddle Class’

With its new economy class beds, Air New Zealand adds some much-needed comfort to the cattle class.

Often forgotten by the airlines, economy class passengers now have a reason to look forward to long-haul flights aboard Air New Zealand’s radically redesigned interiors. Air New Zealand’s fleet of new Boeing 777-300ER planes feature economy seats that can now be turned into a bed, or Skycouch.

The three seats in economy convert by retracting the armrests and raising footrests, to form a flat space that is ideal if you are traveling with a partner or family. The 22 sets of convertible seats occupy the first 11 rows in the economy class cabin of the Boeing 777-300ER and even come with full size pillows. ‘Cuddle Class’ will cost the price of two and a half seats, or about a 25% increase per passenger.

Besides the new cuddle class, there are a variety of amenities aboard the new 777-300ER planes in all four classes: Business Premier, Premium Economy, SkyCouch, and Economy. Imagine sitting in economy and enjoying large 10.6” personal touch-screen monitors featuring a wide variety of entertainment options like movies, TV shows, music, games, and even the ability to order food on demand. Bathrooms feature sensor-active faucets and high-design wallpaper reminiscent of a hip boutique hotel, while the entire aircraft utilizes mood lighting.

From April, the Skycouch will be introduced on Air New Zealand’s Auckland-London service via Los Angeles.