Air NZ welcoming new 777 to Auckland

Air NZ's new Boeing 777-300 provides more comforts. Photo / Supplied

The first of Air New Zealand's new fleet of 777-300ER aircraft took off from Boeing's Seattle headquarters yesterday, and began what the airline is calling an economy-class revolution.

The aircraft is the first of five that will be fitted with a range of products developed by Air New Zealand to offer an improved travelling experience to passengers in every part of the cabin.

Not only does the aircraft contain the much-heralded Skycouch - the lie-flat economy seat dubbed cuddle class - it also has the Premier Economy Spaceseat which either lets couples get closer together or gives individual passengers more privacy from their neighbours.

Passengers will be able to order food on demand that is cooked on board, rather than reheated. The inflight entertainment service has access to YouTube, provides news updates, and lets the passenger communicate directly with the concierge.

The advent of the new aircraft is the swansong for group general manager for international Ed Sims, who has spent the past four years leading the project and finishes with the airline today.

The majority of Air New Zealand's long-haul flights were overnight, and it flew on average 90 minutes longer than any other airline, he said. "The airline industry has shown a shocking disregard for the economy cabin over the last 10 years."

While journalists and guests on board the inaugural flight were allowed to try out Skycouch, the product has yet to be fully certified by the Civil Aviation Authority so will not be available to the travelling public for another couple of months.

The couch is constructed when the footrests of three economy seats are lifted to create a platform across the space. While it does allow the luxury of lying down, it is not a huge bed and is probably best suited to an adult with a child or two smaller adults.

Boeing said Air New Zealand's demands for the new aircraft were challenging.

"There were so many new things brought on line that we had to work very closely with Air New Zealand, the Federal Aviation Authority, the CAA, to even look at what rules we were going to use," Boeing's vice-president general manager of 777 programmes, Larry Loftis, said.

He predicted it would make other airlines look around. "I think it will change the way people fly."

Air New Zealand has bought five 777-300s, with the next two arriving within the next few months. It will eventually refit its 777-200s with the new seating.

Boeing 777-300s have a list price of US$284 million ($381 million) but airlines negotiate their own deals, depending on fitout and how many aircraft they are buying.

- Maria Slade is the business editor of the Herald on Sunday. She travelled to Seattle courtesy of Air New Zealand.