Lie-Flat Beds Come to Coach

Contributing Editor Carl Unger believes that every trip is worth taking. He loves an extended trip to Europe as much as he enjoys exploring the towns and landscape near home. Basically, you'll find him wherever there is good food, fresh air, and plenty of stories to bring home.

Carl has been writing for SmarterTravel since 2005. His travel writing has also appeared on USA Today and the About.com Boston travel guide.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "It's not revolutionary, but a small Moleskine notebook is my one travel must-have. It's great for noting things you want to remember and it takes up hardly any space in your bag."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Japan. I'd love to take a month off and visit the cities, temples, and countryside. I'm fascinated by the country's juxtaposition of ancient traditions and modern ambitions."

Travel Motto: “Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” –Terry Pratchett

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Window."

See recent posts by Carl Unger

Air New Zealand revealed a new lie-flat option in coach class, reportedly the first of its kind. Dubbed “Skycouch,” the seating features adjacent, flat seats and fully retractable armrests, meaning passengers can put the armrests up and stretch out. (For pictures and a video tour of the new seats, check out this post at the Cranky Flier.)

22 Skycouch sets (of three seats) will be available on the carrier’s new 777s, which are scheduled to arrive in November.

Sounds great! But how much will it cost? Air New Zealand isn’t saying just yet, but did indicate that people travling together will be able to purchase two Skycouch seats at full price and get the third for half off, thus completing the set. Details on actual airfares will be released in April. Brett Snyder (of Cranky Flier) writes that individual seats will likely cost about $150 more than regular economy when purchased individually, which is nowhere near the cost of premium economy or business class.

Now, you may be saying, “Hey, this is great—but what if you’re not flying to New Zealand or Australia?” Well, yeah, most of us won’t get to enjoy Seatcouches anytime soon. But if an airline had to start somewhere, why not the incredibly long flight to the South Pacific?

To me, Air New Zealand’s new coach seating looks like a great value. I have a difficult time sleeping on planes, and would gladly pay a little extra for a lie-flat option on such a long flight. But what about you? Do the seats look comfortable? Think we’ll ever see Seatcouches on long-haul domestic flights? Leave a comment below

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.