Economy flyers' fantasy realised: a bed for $150

[Warks]

Economy flyers' fantasy realised: a bed for $150

DENISE MCNABB

October 23, 2009
IMAGINE if instead of just praying for an empty seat next to you in a long economy flight, you could guarantee it. Take that dream further and configure your two economy seats so it is possible to lie down and sleep.
This could be a reality next April, Air New Zealand says. It has revealed plans to offer passengers unsold seats when they check in at the airport for conversion to a near-flat bed.
The company has not said what it might charge passengers for the extra seat. But based on a ''reasonable charge'' of $150, a aviation analyst, Marcus Curley, said the move had the potential to earn the carrier $60 million in extra revenue each year.
Mr Curley, head of research at Goldman Sachs JBWere, said the airline's management was coy about revealing too much before a relaunch of its aircraft interiors before the arrival of several Boeing 777-300ER aircraft at the end of next year.

More at:
Economy flyers' fantasy realised: a bed for $150

Good way to make some money out of empty seats. Am sure it will be more than $150 for long hauls.

 

[david870mdg]

Interesting.
What does this do to yields?
Will flyers just expect the empty beds and take their chances.
For this reason many airlines are reluctant to offer such upgrades.
Not that i'd knock back an upgrade at $150.
:!:

 

[kiwitripper64]

This would follow on from Air NZ current practice where for $75 you can block the seat next to you if there are empty seats. I know a few couples who have had paid 75 extra each for row of 4 seats.

 

[serfty]

AirNZ already have a facility where you can purchase an adjacent seat for ~NZD99 where they may be available on your flight.

Buy a Twin Seat at check-in and get twice the space - Cheap Flights, Airfares & Holidays - Air New Zealand Official Site - NZ

 

[sampson]

Thanks for the heads up as Melb-Auckland-SFO sure beats Melb-Syd-LA.

I hope UA don't charge because we often get a row of 5 seats to snooze on, or an exit row with more square meters than the pointy end. (I'm surprised their recent stats say they're 94% full: I've never been on a near-full UA flight).

On one my flights on VA there's a leg where the PE seat is only $300 more than the economy seat. As I've no idea if PE is really worth it, I'd grab a AirNZ flight and buy 2 adjacent seats for an extra $300. On present pricing, and after factoring in hassles at LA and delays getting to northern California, AirNZ would cost less too in dollars, hassles and time.

 

[Cyclogenesis]

I dont know, this is all getting hard for people travelling for work... Work basically pays for the flights... with all these added extras these basic flights are quickly becoming Y-

 

[harvyk]

I dont know, this is all getting hard for people travelling for work... Work basically pays for the flights... with all these added extras these basic flights are quickly becoming Y-

I disagree, a true LCC (eg ryan air) offers a "Y-" product.

The way I see it is it's a way the legacy carriers can enhanse their existing Y+ product without needing to do anything special. (No seat fitouts, no additional fuel costs etc...) If they have undersold a flight, this gives the chance for them to sell a few more seats without carrying any extra. It does not degrade the existing Y product.

The other thing that they could do is offer this at a cost of FF points. Lets face it, FF points are a liability for the airline, a chance to get rid of FF points easily and cheaply is something that I would imagine an airline would love to do...

 

[trooper]

Given the way NZ's Airpoints program operates I suspect it will be open to being paid with "Airbucks"...

It would make for some interesting decisions as a Standby UG from Y>Y+ AKL-LAX/SFO/YVR is currently "priced" at 220 Airbucks...

...SO I suspect the "north of $150" estimate here is a good one.. but then with the new 773's and (eventually... maybe..) the 787's and no actual word on cabin config.. it's just all guesswork at the moment!