Airline to launch 'lie-flat' seating in economy class

The "Skycouch" will be introduced on the airline’s new Boeing 777-300 ER, scheduled to be delivered in November.

The Skycouch is made up of three standard seats that can be changed into a single, horizontal space by removing arm rests and covering over the footwell, although the seats do not fully recline.

22 Skycouch seats will be fitted on the new aircraft, making up the first 11 rows of the economy class cabin. They will be launched on Air New Zealand’s services between Auckland and Los Angeles, and will become available on the carrier’s Los Angeles-London services from April 2011.

A single Skycouch is likely to cost the equivalent of two and a half economy seats, though prices will not be confirmed until tickets go on sale in April.

The airline says the new seating will transform international air travel, creating a flexible space ideal for couples, and for those travelling with children.

“For the past three years we have been designing a new long haul experience that will reignite the passion of today’s travellers,” said Rob Fyfe, Air New Zealand’s chief executive officer. “For those who choose, the days of sitting in economy and yearning to lie down and sleep are gone.”

Mr Fyfe also announced an overhaul of the airline’s premium economy cabin, which he claims will offer improved dining and comfort.

相關(guān)中文報(bào)道（摘自煎蛋網(wǎng)）

新西蘭航空公司將采購(gòu)一批波音公司777-300 ER的新型客機(jī)，這些機(jī)型中將配備臥鋪(名為Skycouch)，使得經(jīng)濟(jì)艙的乘客也能享臥鋪服務(wù)

該機(jī)型的經(jīng)濟(jì)艙內(nèi)將設(shè)22個(gè)臥鋪，每個(gè)臥鋪占經(jīng)濟(jì)艙三個(gè)普通座位的空間，座位間的扶手將被去掉，踏腳板也會(huì)被蓋住。這種臥鋪的價(jià)格則約為兩張半坐票的錢，雖然目前還沒有最后的定價(jià)，但steen覺得這個(gè)價(jià)格比我們的火車臥鋪票要高許多，資本主義就是黑。話說這種臥鋪特別適合情侶或帶小孩的乘客長(zhǎng)途旅行。

航空公司稱推出這種臥鋪，將使國(guó)際長(zhǎng)途旅行狀況發(fā)生改觀，在過去三年里，他們一直致力于改進(jìn)長(zhǎng)途飛行體驗(yàn)，對(duì)機(jī)艙進(jìn)行了全面改裝，使以前那些很煩惱坐很長(zhǎng)的時(shí)間到另外一個(gè)異次元地方去旅行的人們重新喜歡上長(zhǎng)途旅行

據(jù)稱今年四月，從奧克蘭到洛杉磯的航班上將提供這種臥鋪。