As everyone knows, air travel has descended from a once fun and pleasant experience (for those of us old enough to remember, anyway) into a nightmare of TSA screenings, constant charges over everything from carry-ons to checked baggage to food, mile-long airport hallways, and seats designed for Hobbits.
I tell my kids, did you know they actually served meals on domestic flights, and you didn’t have to pay extra, and you could walk around the cabin? They don’t believe me. (You could smoke, too, but that’s another story.)
I am not what you would call a large person, but today's ridiculous seats nevertheless squeeze me and leave me little room for movement, and when an actual large person sits next to me, it’s frankly hell. Oh, but I can shell out $75 more for a little more leg room, or for some extra space.
There are good reasons why so many people detest airlines these days.
MORE: 'Get off My Lawn' Moment: Back When Air Travel *Used* to Be Fun (VIP)
Sec Duffy Does Some Heavy Lifting (Literally) to Make Air Travel Better
I have another issue, however, and it’s not necessarily their fault: I simply cannot sleep on an airplane.
No matter how tired I am, no matter how much it would be helpful to get some shut-eye, I just can’t do it. I shift. I move. I put my head here. I put my head there. I move my legs around. If I’m lucky enough to have a window seat, which I insist upon whenever possible, I put my head against the wall. Every once in a while, I might drift off for a bit, but even on long international flights, I inevitably wake up and think, “Why can’t I freakin’ sleep?!”
Air New Zealand might have an answer, and it’s causing some controversy in the flight world. You want to get some sleep? Then you need to get horizontal. It’s a message that resonates with me; if I can lie down, I can conk out, but sitting up, no way.
Air New Zealand is introducing what some regard as a game changer for economy passengers who want a good night's sleep, but travelers are strongly divided on the new feature.
The airline said travelers will soon be able to book time in its new "Skynest" pods, a first-of-its-kind feature that offers beds for passengers who are not flying in first class.
The pods will debut on flights between Auckland and New York, a route that can last up to 18 hours.
Air New Zealand introduces ‘Skynest’ bunk beds for economy passengers
— RT (@RT_com) April 15, 2026
Four-hour sleep pods sold separately on 17-hour Auckland–New York flights
Six lie-flat beds, two sessions per flight pic.twitter.com/fP6xf6IO3y
"Skynest" sounds a little too close to "Skynet" for comfort; after all, Skynet was the artificial intelligence system that spurred nuclear war and wiped out the planet in The Terminator. But let's not quibble.
Here’s the rub: although you can stretch out into a horizontal position and pretend you’re paying first class, you’re actually going to be in bunk beds.
Each Skynest includes six individual sleeping pods stacked in a bunk-style layout, allowing passengers to lie flat in a private space separate from their seats.
In an updated media release, the airline said each pod will include a mattress, pillow, blanket, reading light, ventilation and a privacy curtain, along with charging outlets for devices.
Boy, that sounds good to me. But, of course, there’s another catch — an expensive one:
Passengers will also receive a complimentary kit, with items such as an eye mask and earplugs.
Access to the pods will not be included in the base ticket price, the airline noted.
Instead, travelers can book a single four-hour session per flight, with prices starting at a whopping $495.
And here I was, all excited that this could become a thing. Never mind.
Air New Zealand Skynest: Economy Bunk Beds Rolling Out In Late 2026 For $495https://t.co/fFI5ZpKSlf
— Ben Schlappig (@OneMileataTime) April 14, 2026
Lower the price by about 90 percent or more, and I’d be all in. The accent alone almost sells me:
Still, I like the innovation. We’ve been sitting in stiff, badly designed seats now for generations, and it’s time to start rethinking the game. Airlines have to make money, and as a capitalist, I’m appreciative of that, but shoving us all into tiny spaces like sardines is proving to be increasingly problematic, as all the violent incidents on aircraft are showing in spades.
