Singapore Airlines (SIA) on Friday unveiled new First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy Class cabins for its long-haul fleet, which it says will enter service from the second half of 2027 as part of an investment of more than S$2 billion.

The cabins will be fitted progressively on the airline's 41 retrofitted Airbus A350-900 long-haul and A350-900 ultra-long-range (ULR) aircraft and on its new Boeing 777-9 fleet, SIA said in a press release and accompanying notes to editors. The 777-9 will carry all four new cabins. The retrofitted A350s will get the new Business Class, and First Class will appear on the A350-900ULR for the first time.

SIA's Chief Commercial Officer Lee Lik Hsin said that although each cabin was designed individually, all share the aim of making travel more comfortable and flexible. He said customers will have "greater control over their in-flight experience".

FIRST CLASS

SIA said First Class will be offered on the 777-9, with six seats, and the A350-900ULR, with four, in a 1-2-1 layout with direct aisle access. Each seat has curved sliding doors for privacy and Poltrona Frau leather upholstery. The airline said the centre seats can be joined, after the divider is retracted, into a two-seater sofa or a double bed measuring 80 inches by 60 inches, which it describes as the largest in commercial aviation.

Each seat has a 32-inch 4K touchscreen, which is OLED on the A350-900ULR. The airline said its smart cabin controls, linked to its myKrisWorld profile, can remember preferred seat and lighting settings for future flights, and it described this as a world first. The seat has a 89.5-inch pitch, a large table for companion dining or work, a personal wardrobe and a mattress topper from German bedding maker Paradies.

BUSINESS CLASS

The Business Class seat will be fitted on the 777-9 (54 seats), the A350-900 long-haul (42) and the A350-900ULR (70), all in a 1-2-1 layout. SIA said the full-flat bed is 79 inches long and up to 24 inches wide, and selected centre seats can become companion beds when the dividers are lowered. The table stows at an angle to create more room for the feet during sleep.

Seats have sliding doors, electronically adjustable centre dividers and full-grain leather upholstery. Screens measure 20 inches on the 777-9 and 22 inches OLED on the A350s, with active noise-cancelling headphones provided. Smart cabin controls will save preferred seat positions.

PREMIUM ECONOMY AND ECONOMY

On the 777-9, Premium Economy will have 36 seats in a 2-4-2 layout, with 40-inch pitch, 19-inch width and recline of up to 9 inches. Screens of up to 16 inches, a leg rest with adjustable foot rest and a device holder are included.

Economy will have 204 seats in a 3-4-3 layout, with 31 to 32 inches of pitch and 17.6 inches of width, recline of up to 6 inches, wool-blend upholstery and screens of up to 13 inches. A seat-back secondary display will show flight information such as Wi-Fi status and lavatory availability.

DESIGN AND RESEARCH

SIA said it drew on research involving more than 5,000 frequent travellers, customers, staff and industry experts. PriestmanGoode designed First Class, Designworks designed Business Class and Factorydesign designed Premium Economy and Economy. Collins Aerospace makes the First, Premium Economy and Economy seats, and RECARO Aircraft Seating makes the Business Class seats.

Ben Rowan of PriestmanGoode said the First Class project, the firm's first with SIA, was refined over years of collaboration. Designworks CEO Julia de Bono said it applied automotive design principles to Business Class. Mark Hiller, CEO of RECARO Aircraft Seating, said the Business seat offers a larger bed and ottoman. Collins Aerospace's Ryan Hudson said the First Class seats were developed in close collaboration with SIA.

The airline gave no rollout dates beyond the second half of 2027 and no ticket pricing.

Source: PR