Air New Zealand is launching new seats in its longhaul economy class, with a section of the plane fitted with “Skycouch” seats designed to create a three-seat wide airborne equivalent of a foldout couch. It’s an effort to create the first lie-flat bed in coach, a worthy goal if ever there was one.

Starting in November 2010, the window seats in the first eleven rows of economy class of newly-delivered Boeing 777-300s will have cushioned extensions (positioned like calf supports when in “seat” mode) which extend up to create a couch-like flat surface.

To reserve a Skycouch, you’ll need to buy three seats, obviously. If you’re traveling as a pair, you can buy your usual two seats and add on the third seat for half the price of the other two.

My first thought, when I saw the design, was that they were making the “ghetto upgrade” — laying down across a row of empty seats — an official booking class. And indeed, that’s the basis of the design, but expanded to be wide enough for two consenting adults.

No curtains, and no undressing, so don’t get any ideas.

The biggest shortcoming at this point appears to be the length of the bed. The width of three airline seats isn’t that big. Average seat width is 17″. Let’s even add a few inches for gaps between cushions, to be generous. (I know, gaps?) Let’s bump it up to 55″ — 4′ 7″ or 1.4 meters — across all three seats. That’s great if you’re short, but if you’re any taller than that, your feet will be hanging out into aisle. Look at the promo photo below. The guy’s head is angled up the wall of the plane:

There’s some romper room risk here, too. I can see families, especially large ones, buying these seats if they can afford them, and keeping the seats in couch mode for the duration. That means higher odds of noise. If traveling in a non-Skycouch economy seat, and looking for rest, try to find a location as far from the couches as possible.

The airline is also changing its premium economy seats and improving some service delivery in the business cabin. And there’s “new oven technology that will cook food from scratch rather than simply reheating,” but the big news is really (deservedly) the couch-in-coach concept.

A short promotional video to give further perspective (and showing the changes to business and premium economy), after the jump:
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Starting as early as April 2010, travelers on long-haul Air New Zealand flights may be able to stretch out and sleep in coach, for as little as $150 extra.

To get the “bed,” the adjacent seat would need to be empty (a rare phenomenon in the sky these days), so there would be no guarantee of upgrading the seat before booking. Two adjacent economy seats could be mechanically adjusted to create an angled but flat seat.

Regrettably, there are no photos to show at this point. But here are some details that were provided to analysts:

Curley, head of research at Goldman Sachs JB Were, said the airline’s management was coy about revealing too much before a relaunch of its aircraft interiors ahead of the first arrival of one of several Boeing 777-300ER planes at the end of next year. But he said he believed the seat arrangement would involve a system where both seats could slide forward and the seat rest would come up so the foot room disappeared and the passenger could spread out across both seats.

Unlike the herringbone design used in business class, where the seats fold down flat, the economy class “beds” would still have a slight pitch.

Because this is a world first, the idea also has the potential to earn millions of dollars for Air New Zealand in export revenue. Its aircraft interior design subsidiary Altitude Aerospace Interiors, set up in 2008, plans to sell its new turn-into-a-bed economy seat design to other airlines.

Given the long flights from New Zealand to nearly anywhere else in the world, it makes perfect sense for this particular airline to be spearheading this. And this sounds like a fantastic idea for those looking to travel more comfortably on the cheap.

But it’s no substitute for a reserved seat in a premium cabin. There’s always a big risk that the flight will be full, and that the adjacent seat won’t be available. But this is creative thinking. I’m looking forward to seeing the design.

Related:
- Lufthansa considering bunk-bed style sleeper seating in economy class
- Airline seating: Standing, alternating, elevated, and now, sideways
- A step up for economy class seating
- Three people, six arms, four armrests: Can they coexist?

Lufthansa has been surveying some of its customers to gauge interest in all-sleeper seat economy class cabins. It’s in interesting idea, much like sleeper cars in trains can come with more economical couchettes vs. actual beds.

The image above (via FlightGlobal) is apparently one of several designs under consideration, and minimal information is available at this time. Given the dimensions of the pictured cabin, with the flat ceiling, it would appear to be on the lower deck of an Airbus A380.

In principle, a sleeper cabin sounds great, especially for ultra-long haul flights. Somewhat like a premium economy cabin, it offers an intermediate step between regular economy seats and business class. It’s perhaps a bit hard to envision staying flat for a long duration, so I would hope that there is a way to comfortably sit, and not just lie. And that top bunk might be a bit scary during turbulence. But the fact that this is even in discussion is a good sign: Lufthansa is thinking outside the box.

(Hat tip to the FlyerTalk newsletter)

For the last year, the big story on international travel was the all-business class airlines — Maxjet, Eos Airlines, Silverjet, L’Avion, and the (defunct?) MiMa. But the other end of the travel spectrum — the no-frills economy class travel segment — saw two major steps forward this week.

Zoom, the Canadian-British discounter, has jumped its earlier hurdles and received approval to fly from London-Gatwick to New York-JFK. Flights are scheduled to start June 21, 2007.

Zoom’s service onboard is generally well-liked, though you need to be careful and read the fine print if you want to avoid add-on fees. Baggage policy in particular is a potential snag: You can only check 44 pounds total (not per suitcase) without incurring a surcharge. Other airlines offer 50 pounds each for two bags. Better pack light.

Separately, European uber-discounter Ryanair is reportedly getting into the trans-Atlantic game, using the same pricing model that they’re famous for: Crazy-low fares, with add-ons for everything else, from checked bags, to beverages, to mandatory surcharges for wheelchair service for all passengers.

The new airline technically won’t be part of the European operations of Ryanair, but will stand alone. A fleet of up to 50 Airbus A350s or Boeing 787s, neither of which are actually being built yet, would ferry passengers over the ocean for as little as $12 plus fees and add-ons.

Unlike Zoom, which will fly to JFK, one of the busiest international airports in the world, the new Ryanair subsidiary would fly to smaller ports like Baltimore, Providence, and Islip, NY.

It’ll be interesting to see how other airlines will respond — either by attempting to lobby Congress to somehow regulate the competition out of existence, or by actually treating the newcomers as real competition. With Zoom and Ryanair coming to North American shores, and with Spirit leading the way in homegrown nickel-and-diming, I’m not holding out much hope for real improvement in service.

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Website error? Or the truth laid bare?

On its help pages, British discount airline EasyJet categorized a question about assisting elderly passengers as an inquiry about “livestock.” (See the circled text in the left sidebar, and click on the image for a larger view.)

After the Register posted about it, the airline fixed the page. But the screenshots remain, and like gifts for loved ones, it’s the thought that counts.

What kind of livestock remains a question.

(Thanks to reader GH for the link!)

You’re sitting in coach and have to use the toilet. The line in the back of the plane is huge. So you walk to the front of the plane, perhaps pushing aside the wispy curtain separating first class from the cattle car. But you’re denied: You’re told to return to your own cabin to wait in line at the back of the jet.

Not anymore! Your lavatory is liberated!

At least on American Airlines. Starting today, coach passengers will be allowed to use first class toilets.

The ban on coach passengers using the first class toilets was imposed after 9/11 as a “security measure.” Presumably, passengers congregating at the front of the plane, waiting to pee, was a threat to the pilots. It was dangerous then, but somehow isn’t a threat anymore.

I’ve honestly got mixed feelings about this. The security argument always struck me as suspect, especially after the cockpit doors were reinforced. And I’m glad to see one fewer policy in this society that’s justified by the bugbear of security.

But, as long as the economy toilets aren’t overflowing, I don’t necessarily have a problem with separate bathrooms for first class. You paid for premium seats (or upgraded with your hard-won miles or certificates), so why not get a premium toilet?

So which is preferable? Democratized communal water closets, or a premium pissoir for a premium passenger? Sound off!