Singapore Airlines rolls out premium cabin products
Singapore Airlines has rolled out business class seats with a twist: they transform into double beds in its flagship Airbus A380s, which would be flying daily on the Singapore-Sydney route from December 18.
The seats, along with new first class suites, were unveiled at Singapore's Suntec Convention Centre yesterday where around 100 journalists from around the world were invited.
The fresh features of the second-gen superjumbo are products of JPA Design, which also created the airline's Boeing 777-300ER business class cribs, which were launched in July 2013 and which also appeared on its Airbus A350.
The airline opted for measured evolution rather than radical revolution, keeping with its new “space made personal, feel the difference” marketing slogan.
There's enough room under the seat to stow a carry-on bag and ample space around to get work done, plus nooks for items such as laptops, tablets, smartphones, books and reading glasses.
Using a smartphone or tablet app, travellers will be even able to choose their mix of inflight movies, TV shows and music before they fly from the current KrisWorld catalogue. The list can then be synced against the seat over the A380's WiFi system.
With the swish new suites and seats, Singapore Airlines hopes to become a leader in the industry.
Sydney was selected for it saw the debut of the airlines' original Airbus A380, which was also the world's first commercial superjumbo flight, in October 2007.
Select Singapore-London services are tipped to follow from March 2018, Goh Choon Phong, the airliner's chief executive officer, said at the programme.
Four more factory-fresh A380s will appear from early 2018 and 14 more superjumbos in its fleet will be given a tip-to-tail upgrade, including the new seats, starting from late 2018 to 2020.
Speaking at yesterday's programme, Phong said, “We are confident that the results will genuinely 'wow' our customers, and ensure that we continue to provide them an unparalleled travel experience.”
He said Singapore Airlines would soon be unveiling new products so that the theme stands out -- more space and greater privacy.
The luxury suites provide greater privacy with a design and features closer to a well-appointed bedroom, including a separate bed and chair.
“Couples travelling together will be pleased to know that not only are we retaining double beds in our new suites, they are now more plush and comfortable than before,” said Phong.
Singapore Airlines also made use of technological advancements in the aircraft.
The new business class seats feature a carbon fibre composite shell, compared to conventional aircraft seats which use metal as the primary support. This creates a thinner base structure, which allows for more under-seat stowage space.