Air New Zealand unveils ‘a game changer’

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Air New Zealand, Economy Skynest, New Zealand, Sleeping Pods

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — Air New Zealand has unveiled sleeping pods for longhaul economy passengers, calling it “a game changer”.

The Economy Skynest, which would provide six full length lie-flat sleeping spaces, is the result of three years of research and development, the airline said Wednesday.

The company has filed patent and trademark applications for the Skynest.

Air New Zealand plans to make Skynest available on longhaul flights, but the airline said a decision will only be made after it assesses the success of the upcoming Auckland-New York service. That flight would take 17 hours and 40 minutes.

“We have a tremendous amount of development work underway looking at product innovations we can bring across all cabins of the aircraft,” said chief marketing and customer officer Mike Tod.

“A clear pain point for economy travelers on longhaul flights is the inability to stretch out. The development of the Economy Skynest is a direct response to that challenge.”

Customer and cabin crew feedback on the Skynest during its final phase of development has been outstanding, said Nikki Goodman, general manager of customer experience.

“We see a future flying experience where an economy-class customer on longhaul flights would be able to book the Economy Skynest in addition to their economy seat, get some quality rest and arrive at their destination ready to go. This is a game changer on so many levels,” said Goodman.

All images are courtesy of Air New Zealand.

The largest habitable work of art

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Airports, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Austria, Autmotive, Bad-Blumau, Business, Cities, Culture, Environment, General Motors, Luxury Hotels, Luxury Travel, New Zealand, News, Opel, Rogner Bad-Blumau, Spa Hotels, Tourism, Travel, Travel Blog

“The water feels like silk on your skin.”

That is how Rogner-Bad Blumau describes the thermal water at the Austrian hotel’s spa.

The supply is from the nearby Vulkania springs and is said to be the most mineral-rich curative water in the spa town of Bad Blumau.

And the healing water is just one of many features that make this hotel out of the ordinary.

Billed as the world’s largest habitable work of art, Rogner-Bad Blumau was designed by eccentric Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser, whose last name literally means “100 waters.”

“Your name is Hundertwasser, I have water of hundred degrees,” businessman Robert Rogner told the artist as they began the work on the hotel in early 1990s.

Rogner-Bad Blumau is unique in so many ways – the most compelling being the architecture itself.

There are six “houses” connected by a maze of hallways and green roofs with golden onion domes.

In addition to supplies from the Vulkania springs, the hotel’s numerous pools and bathing areas get water from the Melchior and Balthasar springs.

Original roof tiles from old farmhouses have been used for the facade of one of the rainbow-coloured buildings.

The late Friedensreich Hundertwasser

They all fit well with the philosophy of Hundertwasser: A life in harmony with nature.

“The great thing about Blumau is the uniqueness,” said Jasmin Rogner, co-owner of the 312-room, four-star hotel.

“It’s a great artwork, which rather increases in value with time,” she wrote in an email.

“The biggest challenge is to interpret this great place consistently.”

Hundertwasser died in February 2000 in his adopted home country of New Zealand.

The hotel sits on the beautiful rolling hills of Bad Blumau, less than an hour from the city of Graz – a UNESCO City of Design and the hometown of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

I stayed at the hotel back in March 1998, barely a year after Rogner-Bad Blumau opened its doors to first guests.

The 1998 launch of Opel Astra at Rogner-Bad Blumau. Photo by Abdul Latheef

I was among a group of journalists flown in from around the world for the launch of a new General Motors car, Opel Astra.

The hotel has since become a major site for product launches and corporate events.

The property is owned by Rogner International Hotels and Resorts.

Bad Blumau is easily accessible from Graz, Vienna and Salzburg. Austrian Airlines has direct flights from Toronto to Vienna while Lufthansa offers flights to Graz from several German cities.

 Images are courtesy of Rogner-Bad Blumau

Air New Zealand revamps fleet

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Air New Zealand, Airbus, Aircraft, Airlines, Aviation, Business, New Zealand, News, Transport, Travel

The Airbus A321neo in Air New Zealand livery. Airbus photo.

Air New Zealand has announced a major fleet revamp with an order for 14 Airbus jets at a list price worth more than US$1.2 billion.

As of now, the order is for 10 A320neo (new engine option) aircraft, three A321neos and one A320ceo (current engine option) jet.

But the airline stressed that the exact mix of the aircraft will be confirmed later.

The deal was announced at the International Air Transport Association’s Annual General Meeting in Doha, Qatar, today.

Delivery of the A320neos is expected to begin in late 2017, but the airline expects to receive the A320ceo early next year.

The fuel-efficient A320neos will be used on Air New Zealand’s Tasman and Pacific Island routes.

“These aircraft will help to ensure we continue to operate one of the world’s youngest jet fleets,” said CEO Christopher Luxon.

“This new fleet will further enhance the experience for our customers and will drive fuel efficiency enabling us to minimise our carbon footprint by saving around 3,600 tonnes of CO2 per aircraft per year.”

Airbus says it has some 2,700 orders for A320neo models from 50 customers.

 

Air New Zealand to release safety video

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Air New Zealnd, Airlines, Entertainment, New Zealand, News, Safety Videos, Sports Illustrated, Travel

Coming soon, to a screen near you: “Safety in Paradise.”

That’s a video produced by Air New Zealand in partnership with Sports Illustrated.

The video was shot in the Cook Islands and features several top models.

“Safety in Paradise” will be released on Feb. 12.

A trailer of what is billed as “the world’s most beautiful safety video” has been posted on YouTube.