Our six months in New Zealand were done and we needed to leave the country before we were the next stars of Border Security. After deciding not the cruise back to the US, we booked flights on New Zealand’s premier airline, Air New Zealand. A direct flight to San Francisco in order to pick up our car was ideal and Chris even found a bonus option, the SkyCouch.
The SkyCouch is an Air New Zealand exclusive seating option when flying economy on certain planes. It is basically a three person seat that converts to a bed by moving footrests flush with the seats and laying down sideways. We booked two for our family and prayed that the added price would result in a much better red-eye flight experience.
While none of us got a perfect night’s sleep, we all agreed, especially for a 12 hour flight, it was vastly better than sitting upright in an economy chair. The kids even surprised me by saying how much they really liked it. Though later, Aleah admitted that she is not much of a fan of cuddling her brother because he moves as much in his sleep as he does while awake.
The SkyCouch is probably best for someone traveling with young children because while laying down you still only have 5 feet of length and are required to keep your feet tucked in and out of the aisle. However, I think we would definitely recommend it as a good option for people who want a little more comfort for a little more money on long haul flights.
