pom4gud

we are due to come out for a visit next year and hubby has poured a large quantity of cold water on my attempts to suggest we fly premium economy, so, was wondering............ has anyone travelled with the skycouch with children, we have 2, and is it worth it?

I think I read on here that someone was coming out and was booking 5 seats for 4 of them? Cant find the thread, but would be interested in how that went.

Many Thanks

Expat Kiwi

I'd only do it for the longer leg of the journey, it's not worth it for the short hop over from Malaysia or Singapore if you're stopping over at Australia too.

I've heard mixed reviews about these sky couch things and you'd be miffed if you stumped up for them only to find the flight was half empty and you could've spread out anyway.

A better way to spend your cash would be to have a very good stop-over, stay in a top class hotel, catch up on your sleep and relax in comfort.

jmh

I would fly premium economy myself and leave hubby back aft with the kids.

shirl

When we came back from UK recently we had 3 seats between just us two, same as a sky couch really!!! I think the airlines just look a people stretching out on empty seats and think well we could charge em for an extra seat and call it a sky couch!! If any of your children require a sky cot chances are you will get a bulk head seat anyway! If you pick a quiet time to come chances are you can stretch out, and like the OP said have a stop over and get yourself a lie down and a good nights rest it makes such a difference.

Jan n Neil

we hve done prem economy with air NZ and TBH i wouldnt bother i couldnt get comfy in them new pod thingys but i am built like a greek god

jmh

I quite liked the pod, but I was travelling on my own and liked the fact that I didn't have to talk to the person sitting next to me. The blokes in the nearby seats didn't find it so comfortable though - not great leg room.

BEVS

Yup ! You surely are......... Jan

pom4gud

OOOh very tempted to leave the family in the cattle class and upgrade little old moi, however, might not be great for marital harmony!

Think at the moment we might book the sky couch for the long legs. I dont like stop-overs as I cant settle, just want to get the flying bit over with!

Margaret Parkinson

We flew Premium Economy with Qantas, fine when you are sitting but once the person in front reclines you are no way of getting out of your seat unless you are a contortionist. I am only 5" and hubby is 5'6" and even we had a problem. These things look good until they are put into practice that's my view anyway.

June

SparkyGaz

We emigrated in July with Air NZ and had a sky couch. The flight was full and it proved a god send.
We flew Heathrow to Los angeles and straight through to Auckland. (roughly 12 hours + 12 hours)
It would have cost lots more for 2 seperate flight bookings and have a stop over.
I'm one of those people who just likes to get it over with.
My wife and 2 kids used it most (11 year old and 2 year old.)
I'm 6 foot 2 and spent most of the journey in the seat across the aisle. I have never been able to sleep on a plane and needed some shut eye because I had a rental car to drive as soon as we landed for the 3 hour journey to Tauranga.
I swapped with my 5 foot son on the second leg and my wife and I plus the 2 year old got some sleep. Not ideal but able to sleep in the foetal position.
We mainly paid the extra so our little girl could stretch out unrestricted and the rest was a bonus.
We all thought it was worth it.
Skycouch cost an extra £144 for the whole journey (obviously more if you only pay for 2 seats).
The seats were put in the couch position as soon as we were allowed and stayed up the whole flight, (you have the option of having any of the 3 seats up or down / combination).
To be honest I havent heard anyone say premium economy is much better than economy????
When we visit UK in 2013 we have already said we would definitely do the same again.
Hopefully other airlines will follow suit and provide more flight options.

Previously in 2009 we visited NZ with Emirates and even with extra leg room (we had a cot behind the planes bulkhead) I couldnt sleep.
Hope this helps.

PotteringAbout

we flew in premium economy, it was pretty empty - but the new design made it pretty tricky to get comfy. we each ended up spreading out over two of the middle ones (the front row has the most leg room - but they air nz were going to be taking out a row as there was actually less leg room than previous prem economy) The food was amazing, but i don't think i would pay extra for this again. My in-laws went sky couch and found it pretty ok, they both 'spooned' or as air nz call it the 'cuddle' position. They give you a special mattress to lay over the seats and have special lap belts so you are still strapped in when lying down. I think for our return trip back to UK, we will do the skycouch. good luck!