Air New Zealand launched the Economy Skycouch in 2011.
Air New Zealand launched the Economy Skycouch in 2011.
Everyone who’s ever flown in both has an opinion about which is best. They’re all wrong.
THE SEAT
Premium economy – Auckland to Shanghai
The physical seat is resolutely unambitious; far more economy than premium. You pay roughly twice as much as an economy passenger for three main reasons: the increased distance between you and the seat in front, the slightly better food, and that delicious feeling of self-importance when the economy class passengers walk past.
Despite the seat’s ample legroom and adjustable footrest, I could sleep in only short, frustrating bursts. I wanted to get up and stretch my restless legs but from my window seat, it was impossible to overleap the outstretched legs of the passenger next to me without waking her up, leading to an impossibly uncomfortable tension between my physical needs and people-pleasing tendencies. On the plus side, when she woke and left her seat for a walkabout, my joy knew no bounds.
There is a long-running debate among regular Air New Zealand passengers over the relative benefits of Skycouch and Premium Economy. Prior to this – my first ever Skycouch experience – I was agnostic, but as I spread out across my three seats, my body passed judgment, and it was unequivocal. It had been pretty happy at the sight of the premium economy seat when departing Auckland five days prior, but it was filled with excitement and even joy on my arrival at the Skycouch. The reason, I think, was all that space: space in which to chuck my books and electronic devices and other accoutrements of travel; space in which I would soon elevate all three footrests to seat level; space in which I would create my own private fort in which to curl up and get away from the weirdness of spending several hours sleeping next to a stranger, and several more wondering if they’ll ever let me use the armrest.
When you pay for Skycouch, you’re paying for the ability to lie horizontal on a soft surface in the sky, and that is a feeling you can’t put a dollar value on, even though Air New Zealand has, and it’s a little bit less than premium economy.
Sleep is never guaranteed, of course, and unless you’re below a certain height, which I am not, you can’t stretch straight out in Skycouch without obstructing the aisle and endangering the safety of other passengers, crew and your own self. I did discover I could at least get my legs straight if I lay on my side and bent my body 30-35 degrees at the waist, so that my head and toes were touching the backside of the seats in front of me and my backside was touching the seat back behind me, but that position wasn’t especially comfortable. Nevertheless, I got a good couple of hours’ sleep, which was – by several multiples – more than I’d gotten on the outward leg.
Another Skycouch bonus is that with no one sitting next to you, you don’t have to suffer the anguish of someone putting on their reading light in the middle of the night, or – worse – being the one causing the anguish.
In summary, high-quality aircraft sleep remains the domain of business class and above, but Skycouch is the next-best alternative, especially if you’re short.
THE FOOD
Premium Economy
The food in premium economy was genuinely world-class. It’s a truism that you should never order the fish on an aircraft. It’s consistently the worst and most boring dish and I would normally not even bother reading the menu description, but something about this one caught my eye and I found myself unable to look away: “Seared snapper with nori butter, green pea purée, black garlic, salt and vinegar crushed roast potatoes.” Every word other than “snapper” spoke directly to my soul and tastebuds, including “crushed”.
At its 2023 Taste of Aotearoa launch, Air New Zealand presented a new range of on-board food and beverage offerings for premium and business passengers. Photo / Dean Purcell
Knowing the power and importance of marketing, especially in menu descriptions, I was wary of taking the risk, especially since one of the other options was slow-roasted pork belly. But I’m in a phase of my life in which I aspire to live dangerously, so I took the plunge. I did not regret it. The potatoes were off the chain and the nori butter and garlic brought a thickness of flavour hitherto unknown to aircraft fish. The taste was huge and the green pea puree brought a spry freshness and bright visual contrast.
I didn’t plan to say this much about the food, and the fact I have is testament to just how good this fish was.
Skycouch
You get the same meal choices as everyone else in economy, which, in this case, were chicken pasta or chow mein with minced pork. Those descriptions were a pretty long way from the premium economy snapper, but I was very hungry and the chow mein was good enough that I asked for an extra, and was disappointed to be told they only cater for one per passenger. Nevertheless, to my delight, they then delivered me one and I saw several other people also being delivered more, so who knows what “one per passenger” means in this confusing modern world.
Conclusion
Skycouch if you want a good sleep. Premium economy if you want a good feed.
