Airline Oscars: Air NZ's skycouch wins gong at Crystal Cabin Awards

Air NZ's secure "Skycouch" bed for young children has taken a top gong in the Crystal Cabin Awards, known as the Oscars for plane interiors. Another winner was Airbus which has designed a sleep and play area in the cargo bay of A330s. Air New Zealand's "cuddle class" seats in economy were introduced eight years ago and modifications to them to make them suitable for infants won the Greener Cabin, Health, Safety and Environment category. A dedicated infant harness allowing infants to remain lying down throughout the cruise phase of flight, new infant pod, and a new "cuddle belt" means two children can share the Skycouch lying side by side. Skycouch is a row of three Economy seats that convert into a flat, flexible surface for rest, relaxation and play, and was first introduced in 2011. There were 24 finalists in a number of categories and winners were named overnight at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg.<br/>