Air NZ's secret cabin revamp turns to Nasa for seat ideas

Air NZ is looking at the zero gravity position of astronauts as a way of seating its long-haul passengers more comfortably as it continues secret work on its next-generation cabins. The airline has for much of the year been working in "Hangar 22" on new concepts for its long-haul interiors next decade. There is limited access to the secret site and airline staff and others working on the project are tight-lipped but it is understood the airline is tapping into Nasa's experience. Zero gravity sleep settings are similar to the position of astronauts when they launch. Through research in the US space programme, ideal seating positions have been found. Last year, Emirates unveiled zero-gravity seats in some of its first-class suites and car company Nissan has been working for a decade on zero gravity seats to mimic the weightlessness of space, where the human body can experience a neutral spine posture, easing stress on joints and muscles and the lower back. Although not under nearly the same strain as astronauts who at launch face up to 3Gs there are potential benefits of the Zero G position for passengers who face even longer flights in the next decade as ultra-long-haul travel grows. Air NZ will at the end of next month launch what will be its longest route to date, Auckland-Chicago, a distance of about 14,200km.<br/>