Skycouches bring fresh potential to airline seating

Tired of having to scramble back to the lav when it’s time for a little high-flying intimacy? Well, the airlines are (finally) offering an upgrade with you in mind. Some carriers are catering to lovers – or amorous strangers – in the sky with “Skycouches.” Think of the potential: three seats in economy class that can be turned into a “large, flat space,” according to The Australian. The article continues that this innovative approach to seating is “suitable for families or couples who want to stretch out next to each other,” but it doesn’t see how easily this new opportunity could be used abused.

The best part is that you’ll be able to book the Skycouch at something of a discount. Air New Zealand, which is introducing the program, is offering a discount to couples who want to book the third seat – half off!

Look for these seats on some Air New Zealand flights from Auckland to Los Angeles in November, though I think we all hope they don’t take too long to make it to the U.S. carriers!

[photo by S.C. Axman via Flickr]

The top 50 cities for quality of life

If you don’t live in Vienna, you might consider moving there.

A new survey lists the top 50 cities for quality of life and Vienna comes out as number one. The survey, conducted by Mercer, a human resources consultancy firm, looked at criteria such as infrastructure, economy, housing, recreation, personal and press freedom, and education. Vienna certainly scores high in all that, plus it has historic neighborhoods and cool clocks. It’s just a shame the Toilet Bar had to change its decor.

The top ten cities are:

Vienna
Zurich
Geneva
Vancouver
Auckland
Dusseldorf
Frankfurt
Munich
Bern
Sydney

European cities dominate the top fifty. No U.S. city shows up until number 31 (Honolulu) followed by San Francisco (32), Boston (37), Chicago and Washington (tied at 45), New York City (49) and Seattle coming in surprisingly low at 50. Canada did much better with Vancouver at number 4, Ottawa at 14, Toronto at 16, Montreal at 21, and Calgary at 28.

Mercer actually surveyed 221 cities, with Baghdad scoring dead last. Go figure. They also listed the most eco-friendly cities, with Calgary taking the top spot.

Image of Cafe Central, Vienna courtesy Andreas Praefcke via Wikimedia Commons.

Ten outdoor destinations with everything!

Who says you can’t have it all? For many travelers vacation time is limited. Those in search of adventure want to maximize that short window of travel time. Here are ten cities where adventure-seekers can expand their options with a range of heart-pounding choices.

Buena Vista, Colorado
Buena Vista translates to “beautiful view.” It’s easy to understand why the name stuck. Nestled into the central Colorado highlands, this Colorado town just might be the hidden adventure gem of the Rockies. Peak-baggers have twenty 14ers within roughly an hour-and-a-half drive from Buena Vista, making it a perfect base camp for high-altitude hiking. Ski Cooper, Monarch and Aspen are all close by for a winter sports fix and the class III-V Arkansas River provides thrilling whitewater rafting all summer long.

Cape Town, South Africa
South Africa is considered by many to be the adrenaline capital of the world. Cape Town has no shortage of blood-pumping options. Traditional sports like sea kayaking and mountain biking are epic here, but there’s also more unique endeavors like sand boarding. If that’s still not enough to get adrenaline junkies excited, there’s always the shark cage diving experience.
Vancouver, Canada
Adventure pursuits like sailing and kayaking are synonymous with this famous Canadian coastal city. Of course, skiing is the main draw in Vancouver, a fact reinforced by the city’s selection as host of the 2010 Winter Olympics. One visit to Whistler Blackcomb, among the top ranked snow resorts in North America, and the powder crazed will fall in love.

Quito, Ecuador

I was on the summit of a 15,763 foot active volcano within four hours of leaving my hotel in Ecuador’s capital city, Quito. This short trek with dizzying altitude is but one of the quick fixes found in this city of less than two million. Rural Ecuador is still developing its adventure sports attitude, but when using Quito as a starting point guides can be found easily. Cotopaxi, one of the world’s most perfectly shaped volcanoes, is only a two hour drive from town. Cycling and mountain biking have seen a huge boom in recent years and bike rental companies are eager to take visitors on epic rides through the Andes for up to two weeks in length.

Bar Harbor, Maine
In Summer, the population of this quaint Maine fishing village swells from around 5,000 inhabitants to 18,000, and for good reason. Surrounded by paddling and sailing opportunities, those making their way into the area’s bays can not only watch whales and seals but can spot a variety of stunning bird species such as Bald Eagles and Puffins. During my stay I found that land based options are equally as spectacular with Acadia National Park sitting just out the back door. Hiking provides views of the channels and bays while the park’s abundant exposed rock opens up endless climbing opportunities. There is even a climbing school in the city for those uninitiated to the sport.

Castries, St. Lucia
Once travelers work their way past the cruise ships and trinket shops, a world of adventure awaits in Castries, the capital city of St. Lucia. Professional mountain biker Tinker Juarez designed a trail system specifically for the Anse Chastanet Resort. Beginner, intermediate, and expert single track trails wind their way through former plantations and lush jungle vegetation. Diving and snorkeling opportunities abound along St. Lucia’s shore. More experienced divers will find wreck diving just off the coast. This Caribbean island is even home to a diving shop named Scuba Steves. What more could a beach bum want?

La Paz, Bolivia
Trek along ancient Inca trails, raft the class II-IV rapids or the Rio Tuichi, or take on the world’s highest ski resort Chacaltaya. If that’s not enough adrenaline, mountain bike the Death Road, reported to be the most dangerous mountain bike ride in the world.

Auckland, New Zealand
Auckland boasts average highs between 59 and 75 degrees year round. The mild temperatures make for an ideal adventure sports hub. Rappel into massive caverns with Waitomo Cave Adventures to explore the underworld of New Zealand. You will need at least two weeks to take in all the adventure Auckland has to offer. Surfing, horse trekking, sailing, and magnificent hiking can all be found near this city in the “Land of the Hobbits.”

Bend, Oregon
With a beautiful trout stream rippling through town and ski slopes just up the road at Mount Bachelor, Bend accommodates Winter and Summer visitors alike. I found a trail run around Todd Lake that was the perfect way to take in a pristine alpine setting. Backpack the 40-mile Three Sisters Loop and enjoy jaw-dropping views of these triplet peaks.

Chamonix, France

France’s Chamonix has long been known as the site of world-renowned ski resorts and awe-inspiring vistas of the Alps. But these days, the French city is also home to an “air park” where brave visitors can paraglide from just below snowy summits and soar above green pasture. For those who prefer their adventures a bit closer to the ground, there’s the Via Ferrata course. Via Ferrata takes rock climbing to the masses with metal steps and small ledges for climbers to use, all while clipped in to a secure cable system.

Having your cake and eating it too was never so easy. Any of these world-class destinations should be a crowd-pleaser for even the most ambitious adventure travelers.

Air New Zealand thinks THIS is an economy seat? (with video)

Well, Premium Economy, at least. But we’ve sat in Business Class seats that weren’t this comfortable.

Apparently Air New Zealand has a larger proportion of leisure passengers than other international airlines, so they’ve focused more of their efforts on enhancing the Economy and Premium Economy cabins. We covered the upcoming changes to the Economy section, including the option for passengers to choose the new Skycouch layout when booking their trip, but the Premium Economy redesign may be an even bigger story. It’s surely going to cause other airlines to take a fresh look at their offerings.

Air New Zealand currently offers a Premium Economy cabin that offers a larger selection of meal options at a much higher quality, nearly approaching the level of service seen up front in their Business Premium cabin. It’s likely one reason they were awarded ATW’s Airline of the Year for 2010. But they don’t seem ready to give up the title for 2011.
Space Seats

With their new Premium Economy “Space Seats” which enter service in November of 2010, the airline has managed to match their seats to the enhanced meal service. The combination could even rival the business class sections of other airlines.

Premium Economy passengers can reserve a seat based on their requirements for privacy or if they’re traveling with a partner, they can choose a more social arrangement. They do this by installing two different types of seats in the Premium Economy class.

Inner Space

The center seats face outward at a 23 degree angle and are called “Inner Space.” The two armrests in the middle of these seats can be lowered to create nearly enough room for a third person to sit, which could be helpful for a family flying with an infant.

With the armrests up, two people could share a meal or play a game of cards on the center console, with room for at least one person’s legs to fit underneath, like a small table.

Outer Space

The “Outer Seats” also point at a 23 degree angle and face the windows. With the new, larger 787 windows that are coming-depicted in the mockup pictures-these seats will be perfect for those who enjoy looking out. It felt a little like sitting on the front porch in a chair while taking in the view.

Another improvement over the current Premium Economy is the ability to recline without impeding anyone else’s space. And when the person sitting at the window is ready to get up, there’s enough room for the passenger at the aisle to pivot their legs to allow access. The seat width is now three inches wider at 20 inches, but there’s no obstruction, such as a fixed armrest on either side of the seats, so it feels even wider.

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“Otto” Pilot

Since there are now foot rests built into the seats, a stuffed foot rest that Air New Zealand has coined “Otto” which is short for ottoman will be provided. Ed Sims, the project manager on this effort remarked, “We readily anticipate that these will get stolen in huge numbers.”

Just like the rest of the cabin, Premium Economy will feature snacks on demand which allows a passenger to order complimentary drinks or snacks in between meals via the in flight entertainment screen.

The IFE screen is a pull-out, 10.6″ screen that provides more content than the current 8.4″ system, such as an expanded range of kids shows, exclusive offerings and a viewers recommended section. Applications such as hourly updated weather will be featured on the new graphical user interface that was designed by Air New Zealand.

A USB port or iPod connector will allow passengers to view their own content they may have brought with them. This will also be offered in the standard Economy class as well. No word on device compatibility, but the iPod and iPhone are sure to be on the list.

While looking at the innovative seats for each cabin, I couldn’t help but wonder where I’d prefer to sit. I suspect it will come down to who I’m flying with. If I were traveling with just my wife, the center, or “Inner Space” seats in premium economy would be preferable.

If we brought along our two kids, I’d love to try the two standard Economy center seats for us while the kids could take up the outer Skycouch seats for sleeping.

And if someone else is paying for the trip, well, there’s just no other option than to give the Business Premier cabin a try. Because if they consider these seats to be just a step up from their regular Economy seats, then wait until you see what they’ve done with their Business Class seat. We’ll have a review for you next week.

Gadling was briefed on the Space Seat prototype Tuesday at the Hangar 9 facility in Auckland, New Zealand. See it for yourself:

Coach cabin revolution — Air New Zealand adds beds in economy

Innovation may have played a part in Air New Zealand’s eight-year quest for renewed profitability.

As Kathryn Gregory, director of marketing for the Americas region recently said, “We like to look at what the other airlines are doing in their marketing and then… don’t do that.”

If you’ve been keeping track of the Air New Zealand inflight safety demo and their recent matchmaking flights, it’s clear that they’re setting their own course while keeping the brand edgy and fresh.

But the company knows that it’s not all just marketing and promotions. Their inflight product needs to maintain the quality that recently earned them the coveted ATW Airline of the Year award.Air New Zealand currently offers a Premium Plus Economy seating that doesn’t stop at just a few more inches of legroom for the front part of the coach cabin. Dining options are also enhanced to mirror more of the business class meals on their long-haul service and it’s been very well received.

And two years ago, the airline added in-flight concierges who can assist everyone with their onward flight arrangements, itineraries they may wish to adjust at their destination, scheduling issues with weather disruption and managing their frequent flyer miles. This even includes passengers traveling in economy.

At a time when airlines strive to be just a smidgen better than their competition, it would seem Air New Zealand could rest easily with their comfortable lead over other airlines.

But Roger Poulton, vice president of the Americas for Air New Zealand, said that to stay ahead, it was important to forgo some of the standard Boeing options in aircraft seating and to spend the time and money needed to design their own product. They also realized that Economy and Economy Plus passengers shouldn’t be forsaken and that families flying together represented a large portion of their passengers.

A TOP SECRET THREE YEAR PLAN

It took years, but the results not only put Air New Zealand in the front of the industry but also might just change how other long-haul airlines look at the coach cabin in the future. Knowing that if word got out about their plans they would lose part of their lead, they’ve secretly been working on a new layout that has finally been revealed to the public.

The coach seats have been completely re-designed by Recaro, including eleven rows of three seats on each side of the cabin dubbed “Skycouches” that are available for families and couples who want the ability to buy an entire row. Couples who buy the third seat will only play need to pay half the price for the third seat.

Interior seats will not be able to convert to a Skycouch.

While it’s still not possible to stretch your legs out straight without them extending into the aisle, the Skycouch design will likely be very popular for economy travelers and especially for families traveling together. Parents could purchase two seats in the center of the cabin, and then a row of three across from them where the kids can lay out and sleep.

Internally at Air New Zealand, they’ve referred to the Skycouch seats as “Spoon Seats” since the design lends itself well to that sleeping position for couples.

To convert the seat, a button in the armrest allows you to pop up the modified footrest. It’s then necessary to snap the rest into place, making for a solid bed when all three are in place. The design is stressed for three hundred pounds, and it has a rather solid feel. The seat cushions align perfectly with each other, providing for a very smooth surface to stretch out on.

A foot net provides for more comfortable leg position options, presumably so your feet don’t impede the aisle.

Every economy seat will have an improved ‘sleep pillow’ headrest and PC power, USB and iPod connections.

A new feature has been added throughout the cabin, called Snacks on Demand, which allows passengers to order more food using the inflight entertainment screen in between the three course meal service.

After meals are served from the redesigned galley, ‘onboard events’ will be offered, including wine tasting, a destination seminar or kids story time using the 23″ mounted galley monitor. This area was modified to avoid looking like a kitchen and more like a lounge area where passengers can help themselves to snacks and drinks.

These changes apply to the new Boeing 777-300 aircraft that are being delivered starting in November of this year. Initially the Auckland to Los Angeles flight will see this aircraft and eventually this reconfiguration will make its way to other aircraft in the long-haul fleet.

Gadling had the opportunity to see the new seating configuration up close during the unveiling in Auckland at a building that had to be well hidden from the local press who have been relentlessly trying to learn details about the rumored seating changes. Recaro will be building the seats in Fort Worth, Texas.

If the prying media had only known that the building where the design work was being done was just two blocks from the Air New Zealand headquarters. The location was obvious on the morning of the event, when a huge sign that said “Hangar 9” and featured the Air New Zealand logo was unveiled and gave away the secret location.

Group General Manager, Ed Sims said that while the Skycouch experience is owned by Air New Zealand, other airlines that aren’t competing directly with the company would be able to license the design. He mentioned that when Boeing first viewed the work they’ve accomplished at Hangar 9, the airline manufacturer was convinced that this represented the future of air travel.

Initially, the company was working on a staggered seat design. They were pretty sure the offering would be a successful way to give people more room, but when they tested the mockup with focus groups, they found people uncomfortable with the lack of privacy from the people just behind or in front of them. There was a sense they needed to watch their belongings more and that people could see everything they were doing.

It wasn’t just Air New Zealand’s work in economy cabin that is going to change air travel. They have also redesigned their Premium Economy seats, creating a solution for passengers who want more privacy while at the same time satisfying those who prefer to sit together as a couple. Be sure to check out our video from the unveiling to see the Skycouch in action.

The pride in the new corporate culture at Air New Zealand is evident in every employee that we came across, from the flight attendants to management. They’re exceedingly proud of their country and many of the flight attendants told us they felt they had a responsibility at Air New Zealand to represent their country as well.

With this revolutionary design, it has become much easier for families to experience the Kiwi culture in person on what could be a restful twelve hour flight from Los Angeles or San Francisco to Auckland.

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