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The Air New Zealand Skycouch: Makes sense with children?

Flying with kids is annoying. Not because the little ones could not behave or yell for hours (that’s what very few do). But because it is so difficult to properly secure children on the plane. Air New Zealand has thought about it – and that’s why it’s the best airline in the world for us ♥

Air New Zealand: the coolest airline in the world

A long-haul flight to New Zealand takes 24 hours – at least. This long, long time CAN easily spend a child in his own child seat, which is installed on its own seat. Please do not take your child in the lap, even if it saves you 1,000 euros – it is incredibly exhausting for everyone involved and very, very uncertain in the case of turbulence – which are quite likely to occur in such a long flight).

And what about us parents? Even if we do not keep our children in our lap, we sit squeezed on the narrow plane seat for hours and risk a thrombosis (and the insanity caused by sleep deprivation).

A few years ago, Air New Zealand thought about the suffering of their parents on these long flights and designed the “Skycouch” – first for couples, but then increasingly for families: In Economy Class, you book a series of three seats, the can be folded down to a flat lying surface. In addition you get a mattress pad, blankets and pillows. And a system of belts, which we will discuss below.

Stretch out, make your legs long, cuddle next to each other and sleep wonderfully – that promises the Air New Zealand Skycouch and transforms the wood class (English: “cattle class”) in the “cuddle class”. But it works in practice?

Economy can be so comfortable © Air New Zealand

Sleep on the Air NZ Skycouch?

Attention: The Air New Zealand Skycouch is not a “real” bed as you get it in Business or First Class. The seat width of the three seats allows for the vast majority of adults no stretched out lying – the feet would dangle into the corridor and must be confiscated.

And even if the seat is enormously widened by folding up a footrest (the footwell is virtually covered), the lying area for two adults is only wide enough if both are narrow and want to cuddle.

Most importantly, if you’re unlucky and those sitting in front of you are putting their backs back, you’ll barely have room on your Skycouch. Then the extra money for the Skycouch is spent in vain. And you can do nothing to assure yourself against this case …

The most comfortable is the Skycouch for an adult and a child. Since families usually travel with two parents and / or two children, you have to figure out the best combination of seats beforehand.

With 2 adults and 2 children can and should you book two Skycouches:

  • Option 1: 1 adult each, 1 child per Skycouch
  • Variant 2: on Skycouch 1 children, on Skycouch 2 adults

With 3 children offers the following distribution of Skycouch seats:

  • Skycouch 1: 1 adult, 1 child (both can lie)
  • Skycouch 2: 2 children
  • Adult 2: own single seat
  • Alternative: do without Skycouch 2 and book 3 seats next to each other

How safe is lying down?

There is one for adults and children Special protection on the Skycouch. A system of belts (“cuddle belts”), which are stretched across the lying surface and anchored to the front seats, also secures passengers when lying in turbulence.

Attention: These straps only work for 2 adults, one adult and one child or 2 children. In another constellation you are not allowed to use the three seats as Skycouch.

For babies without their own seat now a special belt has been developed. These can also be left lying there and do not need to be strapped on the lap with the loop belt in case of turbulence.

We think it’s great that Air New Zealand has developed such a backup option. The FAA seems to be satisfied with the straps, after all, they have been approved for use.

Nevertheless: We can only imagine these straps for older children, who are usually adequately secured with the lap belt. Simply for the reason that when folding away the Skycouch (at takeoff and landing) does not conjure the right child seats out of the trouser pocket. If you use the Skycouch, you automatically do without the child seats – and we do not think so, especially for babies.

Also new: a Bassinet for the Skycouch. So the baby has a little more room to play without annoying other passengers when crawling around in the hallway or on the floor.

The new launches are still waiting for the approval of the flight safety authorities. Air New Zealand plans to gradually roll out the modified Skycouch from May 2018 to the Boeing 777 and 787-9 Dreamliner. Other airlines should be able to use the Skycouch as a licensee, the speech is already from Air China (!!).

The Air New Zealand Skycouch self-tested: super comfortable!

Is the Air NZ Skycouch recommended for families?

Our conclusion is mixed.

The Advantages of the Air NZ Skycouch For families, comfort is clearly evident: at least some of you will arrive more relaxed in New Zealand.

The Air New Zealand Skycouch also has some disadvantages:

  • It is generally more expensive than normal economy seats (the price difference decreases with the number of people)
  • You can not be sure that you can use them on the plane (keyword frontman)
  • She is for babies and children under 7 years in our estimation not as safe as flying in the right child seat.

Have you ever used the Air NZ Skycouch with children? What are your experiences?

We wish you a good flight! © Air New Zealand

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Christina Cherry
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