With great fanfare (and my heaping praise), Air New Zealand unveiled their Skycouch product, a row of three economy seats that transform into a lie-flat bad large enough for two people. Billed as the cheaper alternative to flying in business class, the sleeper seat is slated to enter service this spring onboard NZ’s new 777-300ER flying from Auckland-Los Angeles-London and back.
But the price list is out now too, and it isn’t pretty–at least for the budget conscious traveler. A return ticket from London to Auckland during the high season prices out at £4,882. That’s over £500 more than a business class ticket (£4,369)! A premium economy ticket is only £2,134. Even in the low season the price of the economy sleeper seat, per person, is just a couple hundred pounds less than a business class ticket.
I know the Skycouch is a lot bigger than the reclined business class seat, but I cannot stomach paying more for a seat in the back. Even with the equivalent of a double bed in economy with a great blanket and pillow (which NZ will provide), I sleep just fine on NZ’s herringbone-style lie-flat business class seats. And I would earn more miles for flying in business class.
Am I missing something?
It is designed for two people to be sharing, so the fares should really count as two tickets instead of one.
@Nick: That would make sense.
Matthew – Did you trying pricing this with two people or only one ? I tried pricing and it came out cheaper with 2 people than 1 person so I think there is a pricing issue somewhere. But when you think about it, it should cost the same whether it is 1 or 2 people. You are still taking up the equivalent of 3 seats.
Cheers.
That’s interesting. My posting was based off this article:
http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/anza-s-A-pound-5,000-skycouch
Yeh, I think the fatal flaw is that they are pricing it for 1 person and in peak in Dec.
June 11th – 18th, for 2 people from London to Auckland prices out at GBP 3142. Business class for 2 comes out at GBP 7961 and PE for 2 is GBP 4124.
I could check more dates and I know that is winter in NZ, but they could be pricing over Xmas when you know business class demand is weak and they really want to fill all of the coach seats.
Hmm. I’m going to have to update the post. Thanks for your research.