trooper

I think we are getting the Skycouch mixed up with the WD middle seat blocking and/or the old "buy the seat next to you if available at the airport" that was/is(?) offered on long hauls..

If you make a booking in Y these days you get a (rather annoying) pop up asking you if you'd rather upgrade to the Skycouch or to Y+...

When I book solo travel the Skycouch offer is about $1300 each way travelling to the US.... looks pretty definite to me as far as allocation goes!

birder

There's no confusion. We are just saying that there is some cause for concern. When you buy Works Deluxe, you are guaranteed that no one sits next to you. And yet for some people, they have bought Works Deluxe and someone has been put in the seat next to them.

I agree the Skycouch is a different beast - the price differential is much higher between economy & Skycouch and Works & Works Deluxe. Nevertheless, I personally would feel anxious about having to give up the Skycouch if plane were overly full.

NZ*Trout

No, you're wrong there. Currently, the AirNZ website states that "In the air, you'll be treated to some extra personal space - great if you want to work or stretch out." Granted, when the S2S products first went on sale, reference was specifically made to an empty seat beside you, however that's not currently the case. So access to any seating at a pitch greater than the back of the plane would meet the definition of some extra personal space.

I've not read anywhere talk of SkyCouches being on a non-confirmed basis. I think you're doing everyone here a disservice by suggesting that anyone on a confirmed SkyCouch ticket could routinely expect to not be seated in the product they paid for. Giving up a SkyCouch for a standard economy seat would be treated exactly the same as a downgrade from any other class of service (i.e. politely going nuts would be acceptable...).

nzchick

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birder

Wow - really? Is this what it's come down to - verbal wrangling when frankly, it's clear from seat maps that Works Deluxe means an extra seat? This type of slippery logic above is exactly why I would not trust something that seemed crystal clear.

BTW, some Works Deluxe seats don't get any extra pitch - at least not as currently configured.


This is pretty funny. I'm doing everyone a disservice? What about Air New Zealand's double speak over the past several months? Where "more choice" is code for "less choice" and "Space+" is code for sardine space? Quite frankly, I don't trust them anymore and I am not the only one. Perhaps everyone else feels comfortable with them, but then you are free to ignore me. Seriously - I don't mean that in anything other than an honest, straightforward way. I'm just saying that given what I've seen over the past few months, I would not book a SkyCouch as a solo traveller, because I would be concerned that it would be taken away if push came to shove. If you don't feel that way, good for you! But don't make it sound as though I'm some subversive element trying to destroy trust in Air NZ - they've already done a good job of that themselves.

ajnz

Contrast it to what the Winter/Spring Koru magazine said (only just reading it now, since my NZ correspondence goes to my AKL address):

(Emphasis mine)

It does seem the Works Deluxe promise of empty middles has quietly faded away and is no longer guaranteed (and little surprise given the NZ target of extremely high load factors on the Tasman, although it seems at a much lower yield).

OTOH, I've always understood Sky Couch to be guaranteed if you pay for it. (Unless in real IRROPs in which case they might choose to whack 3 pax into the seat, but as NZ*Trout said I'd expect them to manage this as a downgrade and compensate accordingly... Personally I won't be buying Sky Couch for single-user travel regardless.)

Hubbabridge

If you pay for the Sky Couch that is what you will get. LHR-AKl-LHR in May 2011 is Ł600 plus taxes for economy and with Sky Couch is Ł2600 plus taxes. Nobody is going to take away your seats at that price.

sheepherder

If you buy skycoach for a single traveler from LAX to AKL how many airpoints do you get?

If for two travelers do both get airpoints?

Freeth

Good question, at the price you pay as a single traveller you'd definitely want to get more than the standard economy rate, howeever you should expect to get less than premium economy.

Guy Betsy

Skycouch is pricing out to cost more than a business class seat !


http://asia.businesstraveller.com/ne...5,000-skycouch

jeffrocowboy

I don't find that all that amazing, SkyCouch is not really intended for one person?

Might have been better to provide the price for a person sharing a SkyCouch

Blackcloud

I think point is that you would be flying economy with the Skycouch.
I believe NZ at the launch stated teh pricing point was roughly
Pacific Economy is cheapest
Skycouch for two people is cheaper that Premium Economy or Business Premier
Premium Economy for a single pax is cheaper than a Skycouch
With Business Premier the most expensive option....

This is of course before NZ introduces a higher charge for the Premium Economy "Space Seat".

runtothehills

Long game for AirNZ is to build up great brand equity with the skycouch, for all new travellers coming down under for RWC.

Amazing, priceless exposure of their brand. They will be wanting to give the skycouches away to travellers from the north.

Prediction is Skycouch may then be phased down to be only installed in first 2-3 rows by 2012.

taupo

I will be heading back to NZ in a couple of months for a quick trip with one or all three of my kids.
In the past I have booked Prem Y, or a mix of award and rev BP.
The plan for this year was to book Prem Y. That has changed based on the cramped legroom of Prem Y for someone who is 6'4".

The skycouch however offers an interesting option. For myself and one midget, the skycouch should be great. I can prop myself up against the window wall, midget can lie down and sleep.
If I take all three kids, then two skycouches will be good.

The idea of paying to travel in Prem Y and not being able to stretch is out is worrysome. I can remember having that on the 777 bulkhead before they changed it.

The alternative of course is to book Prem Y and be on metal with the current Prem Y as opposed to the new.

rowingman

As someone who is 6'1", and just flew AKL to LAX in the 777-300 Premium Economy seat, I would go with skycouch. Someone below said the ability to straighten your legs and get them off the floor is priceless. I agree, and in the new ANZ premium economy seat "every seat is a bulkhead" is 100% true.

The seat looks cool, is innovative, but as for straightening your legs, and even possibly trying to sleep curled up on your side, go skycouch. Sorry if I am bursting anyone's dreams of the cool little Premium Economy pod, but it is little, it is a pod, it is kind of cool, but I frankly found it pretty darn tight for a 6'1" frame.

I found myself looking a bit longingly at exit row seats in economy thinking those looked like more space to stretch your legs (OK, just "unbending my knees" would be OK). The Premium Economy seat is not good for legroom, and contained a knee knocker.