The Air NZ Skynest will allow six economy passengers to sleep in the skies.
The Air NZ Skynest will allow six economy passengers to sleep in the skies.
Air New Zealand has been named as having the best economy-class cabin in the world for a second year running, according to the Airline Excellence Awards. However, best in business class was claimed by Singapore Airlines in the airlineratings.com annual rankings.
This marks the eighth time in the past decade that the Kiwi carrier has landed the economy-class title.
Judges said the award was largely in anticipation of the revamped Dreamliner Skynests and the current long-haul options offered by Air NZ.
“Air New Zealand has once again been awarded Best Economy Class for its innovation of the Skycouch and the Skynest beds to be rolled out in mid-2025.”
The economy-class lie-flat options have won several awards already, but the Skynest sleep pods are still turning heads. They comprise six bunks for economy customers costing between $400-$600 for a four-hour session.
Originally scheduled to be fitted out on the New York-bound 787-9 this year, production delays at Boeing meant passengers will have to wait until next year to try the “nests”.
“Boeing has now confirmed that the first of the new 787 Dreamliners is unlikely to arrive until at least mid-2025, which will delay delivery of our innovative new Skynest. The interior retrofit of our current 787 fleet remains on track,” airline chief executive Greg Foran told RNZ earlier this year.
Meanwhile, best in first class 2024 was awarded to Singapore Airlines.
Cabin revamps were again top of judges’ minds when awarding the best in first class to the SIA Skyroom.
The swivel seat in a first-class suite aboard a Singapore Airlines A380.
The awards noted the airline had a long reputation for pushing the boundaries of cabin design.
“However, what truly sets it apart is its exceptional First Class experience, now taken to new heights with the introduction of the ‘Skyroom’ Suites on the A380.”
The suites offer around 4sq m of cabin space and a foldaway bed to a first-class passenger.
Despite the high-tech solutions of other carriers when it came to first-class cabins, the manual doors were a classier and better-engineered solution when it came to privacy screens.
The awards claimed this was a practical and classy solution to electrical suite doors which were often the “source for prolonged malfunctions” on other carriers.
This is the fifth time the Singapore-based airline has claimed the award in the past decade and is off the back of being named airline of the year at the 2023 Skytrax awards.
The Australian-based airlineratings.com runs annual rankings of the world’s top 435 carriers, for safety rating and product.
The annual best in class Airline Excellence awards look at the top 230 airlines, which carry 99 per cent of global air travellers.
Best Regional Airline 2024 - Virgin Australia
Virgin Australia Regional Airlines VARA, which marks its 60th anniversary this year, was named the top regional operator - running a range of small and narrow body aircraft in regional Australia. Somewhere the awards dubbed the “world’s harshest operating environment”.
Food was a highlight for the Doha-based carrier, which judges praised for “outstanding” presentation and delivery of meal services. With three meal choices in economy as standard, and eighteen special menu options, choice was what clinched it for Qatar.
Best Inflight Entertainment 2024 - Emirates
The Dubai-based long haul operator has plenty of entertainment options. With the ICE inflight entertainment system boasting 6500 channels of audio and video, you’ll never run out of options even on the longest route. Live sport and news delivered via Sport 24, BBC, CNN and Sky News Arabia were also noteworthy options for Emirates’ inflight viewing.
Best Cabin Crew 2024 - Virgin Australia
As a key bridge for both safety and flight service - the two focuses of the website awards - Best Cabin Crew was a carefully considered accolade.
“Their commitment to passengers is quite outstanding and is a benchmark of what cabin service should be across the industry,” said airlinesratings.com editor-in-chief, Geoffrey Thomas.
