An airline is hoping to make it easier for parents to fly with young children and babies by creating suitable seats for “rest, relaxation and play”.
Air New Zealand has developed a “Skycouch” - a row of three economy seats that convert into a flat surface - which includes an infant harness and belt, allowing kids to remain lying down for the whole flight - evend during take off and landing. They’ve also created an “infant pod”, which provides additional comfort and protection for young kids.
The “Skycouch Cuddle Belt”, which previously only allowed two adults or an adult and child travelling together to lie down side by side, has been updated to allow two children to use it providing greater flexibility to families.
“While we initially marketed the Skycouch to couples, we quickly found the product suited parents with young families especially well,” said Air New Zealand general manager Anita Hawthorne. “Parents can relax while their children are able to have their own space and flat area to play without interrupting other passengers.”
To create an area that would suit parents, staff at Air New Zealand said they spoke to many customers who have used the Skycouch - originally created in 2011 - to understand what updates and refinements they could include.
Pending approvals, the airline plans to make the modified product available onboard in the coming months.
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