Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. book
    • ex. You should book your flight early to get a lower price.
  2. a pod
    • ex. The tourist slept in a small pod instead of a large hotel room.
  3. an airline
    • ex. An airline usually owns many different types of airplanes to fly to different cities and countries.
  4. shared
    • ex. My friends and I live in a shared house to save money on rent.
  5. fasten
    • ex. Please fasten your seatbelt before the car starts moving.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

Font size

Air New Zealand has announced a new sleep option for economy passengers on long flights. Travelers will soon be able to book four-hour rest times in special sleep pods called Skynest. These beds will be available on the airline’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner planes starting in November. The service will be used on flights between Auckland and New York, which can last up to 18 hours.

Passengers who book a pod will lie flat in a shared space with six beds arranged in three levels. The cost starts at 495 New Zealand dollars (about ¥46,500), added to the ticket price. The pods have curtains for privacy, and clean sheets are provided after each use. Travelers must wear socks provided by the airline, fasten seatbelts, and avoid strong smells. Eating in the pods and sharing beds are not allowed.

This idea aims to give economy travelers more comfort, which was once only for business class. The airline first announced the plan in 2020. Despite rising fuel costs today, the airline hopes this new service will improve long flights for many people.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Sleep Pods on Airplanes

  • Air New Zealand will be offering a four-hour rest in a sleep pod for an extra price. What do you think of these sleep pods on an airplane (ex. good idea, added cost)? Discuss.
  • In these pods, passengers must follow rules like wearing special socks and sleeping in a shared area with five other people. How do you feel about the arrangement of having six beds together in a shared space? Discuss.
  • Traveling long distances can be very tiring for the body. If all airlines replaced all regular seats in economy class with sleep pods, how would the future of travel change? Discuss.

Economy and Business Class

  • The idea of sleep pods is to give more comfort to economy class travelers. Personally, would you book an expensive business-class seat if economy airlines offered sleep pods? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Is it fair that feeling relaxed and being comfortable during a flight is based on how much money a person pays? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Travelers have to choose between economy and business class. Why do you think there is an economy and a business class on airlines? Discuss.