This Airline’s New Seats Will Let Parents and Babies Lie Down Next to Each Other

The new enhancement to the couch will turn this living space in economy class into a bedroom with the addition of the infant harness. This will be complementary to all customers who have purchased The Skycouch and are traveling will children. The harness will come in different sizes, small, medium and large.

Photo: Air New Zealand

The airline is well known for their focus on making flying as comfortable as possible for families.

Drawing on customer feedback, the new feature has been predicted to be popular with parents who are flying long haul. Air New Zealand General Manager Customer Experience Anita Hawthorne remarked:

“The Skycouch has proven to be a real game changer in the Economy cabin. While we initially marketed it to couples, we quickly found the product suited parents with young families especially well. Parents can relax while their children are able to have their own space and flat area to play without interrupting other passengers.”

Photo: Air New Zealand

The Skycouch comes with a price tag — an extra average of $870US for a one-way flight from Sydney to Los Angeles, making the additional add close to the price of a premium economy ticket. That said, the overall public response to the upgrade is positive and it seems that focusing on the comfort of families and infants is a smart marking tool for airlines.

Pending regulatory approvals are still in process, so eager parents may have a wait to see this feature rolled out on all long-haul services.