This Airline Just Made Flying With Kids a Whole Lot More Comfortable

Flying with kids is a special kind of hell, and honestly one of the most stressful things I think parents do. I mean, flying in general isn’t exactly a walk in the park, you know? The tiny seats, everyone crammed into a tube barreling through the sky, the smells, the will-we-won’t-we-land game we all play. Add a baby or worse, A TODDLER, into the mix? Not enough vodka on that plane or any plane in existence. But one airline is trying to make flying with kids a slightly more comfortable, enjoyable experience. Air New Zealand has unveiled their new “SkyCouch” seats, and they’re nicer than my actual couch in my living room.

The SkyCouch on Air New Zealand planes is a row of three economy seats that form a flexible, comfortable space for passengers.

The seats are the same as a regular economy seat, but they have an additional footrest that folds to form a couch. The armrest by the window goes all the way up, to increase lounge space. And the airline even provides a seat belt extension to use while you’re resting!

But they went one step further. Starting in mid-2018, the Air New Zealand Boeing 777 and 787-9 SkyCouches will be equipped with an infant harness, belt, and pod.

Just imagine! An airline has actually gone out of its way to make air travel more comfortable and enjoyable for parents and families. What a novel concept. I know people like to complain about babies and kids on planes, but honestly, there’s no way around traveling with them in many, many cases. Rather than vilify parents and families with small kids, this airline is going the extra mile and doing something nice for their paying customers.

Hopefully other airlines will follow suit! I can’t imagine flying on the SkyCouches is cheap, but I also know plenty of parents who would pay top dollar to make an hours-long flight more enjoyable for everyone on the plane. Sometimes helping people really does pay off.

(Image: Air New Zealand)