Air New Zealand to install beds in economy

Air New Zealand (www.airnewzealand.co.uk) is to become the first airline to bring economy passengers the ultimate in-flight luxury - fully flat beds that have, until now, only been available to those able to afford eye-wateringly expensive business and first-class flights.

The airline will begin fitting the new Skycouch on long-range Boeing 777 aircraft this spring, and it will be available on flights from the UK in April next year.

Aimed at couples and families with one or two young children flying together, the Skycouch is actually a row of three economy seats that have been specially engineered to lie flat, effectively creating a double bed or a flat space suitable as a children's play area.

Twenty-two seats of Skycouches will be available on each aircraft and they will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Two adults who want to occupy the Skycouches will have to pay the equivalent of two and half economy fares between them.

The service will be tested first on flights between Auckland and Los Angeles from December this year.

And to those of you who think this might be your first opportunity to join the Mile High Club, the airline's chief executive Rob Fyfe said to those couples planning an in-flight cuddle: "Just keep your clothes on please."

We're pleased to see it is maintaining standards, even at 30,000 feet.

Air New Zealand is planning to refit its fleet of eight B777-200 aircraft from summer 2011 with all UK, Asian, and North American services offering a new, improved in-flight service by around 2012.

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