SIA unveils 'bedroom' suites, new economy class seats for A380s
SINGAPORE: "Bedroom” cabin suites and new
seats that leverage on technology were among the changes unveiled on
Thursday (Nov 2) by Singapore Airlines (SIA) for its revamped Airbus
380s.
The US$850 million (S$1.16 billion) cabin overhaul comes as
SIA marked a decade of flying the superjumbos and as the national
carrier carries out a review of its business amid stiffening
competition.
The changes include a revamp to its first-class
suites, which were reduced from 12 to six and moved from the lower to
upper deck.
Apart from being “significantly more spacious”,
each suite also offers more privacy with its sliding doors and
electronically adjustable roller-blinds, said SIA’s chief executive
officer Goh Choon Phong at the product launch.
SIA's new "bedroom" suite includes a Poltrona Frau leather chair. (Photo: Singapore Airlines)
The suites are also equipped with a 21-inch wide leather
chair upholstered by Italian furniture maker Poltrona Frau, alongside a
standalone full-flat bed with plush bedding and duvet designed by French
luxury label Lalique.
Designed to feel like a “bedroom”, the revamped first-class suites
will give passengers the options of both a bed and a seat, SIA's
divisional vice-president for customer experience Betty Wong told
Channel NewsAsia in an earlier interview ahead of the launch. Currently,
the seat in the suite needs to be folded in for the bed to be made.
Apart
from “demand-supply considerations”, the changes to the suites will
allow more efficient use of space in the aircraft, Mr Goh said.
After four years of research and development,
the facelift includes an update of the first-class suites, as well as
new seats and other cabin products across all classes.
Other
updates include a change in the number of business class seats. The new
A380s will have 78 business class seats on the upper deck, compared to
previous configurations of 60 and 86.
Tapping on new technology,
the business class seats have a carbon fibre composite shell structure,
compared to conventional aircraft seats which use metal as the primary
support structure.
This
creates a thinner base structure which allows for better optimisation
of the seat and creates more under-seat storage space to accommodate a
standard-size trolley bag, which Mr Goh said is a "first in the world".
The
seats can also recline directly into a full-flat bed of 78 inches, and
the center divider can be lowered to form double beds.
SIA's new A380 business class seats. (Photo: Tang See Kit)
Meanwhile, the premium economy class will get its own
exclusive cabin zone. With 44 seats, the premium economy section on
board the new A380 will be SIA's biggest thus far.
Premium economy class seats on the new A380 will be housed in their own cabin. (Photo: Singapore Airlines)
In the economy class, seats will offer more legroom and
back support, with a six-way adjustable headrest with foldable wings.
The seats will also come with an 11.1-inch touchscreen monitor, personal
storage space for small items, a coat hook, in-seat power supply and a
footrest with adjustable positions.
The new-look cabins also
come decked with the latest in-flight entertainment system myKrisWorld,
which includes features that are new in the industry.
These
include content recommendations based on customer preferences and
viewing history, and KrisFlyer members being able to bookmark and resume
content, as well as customise and save preferences on myKrisWorld for
subsequent flights.
“We are pushing the boundaries (with) new
design concepts, new materials and new technologies but still focusing
on how those innovation can bring greater comfort and convenience to our
customers,” said Mr Goh.
More legroom and back support for economy class passengers on the revamped Singapore Airlines A380. (Photo: Singapore Airlines)
The research and development of the A380 cabin
upgrades first began in 2013 and involved extensive customer feedback.
The overhaul was a necessary move given rising expectations from
travellers, according to Ms Wong.
"Ten to 20 years ago, people
may expect that when you get on board, you can get a bit less but
somehow the expectations have changed. The gap between what you do on
the ground and in the air has narrowed. That's difficult because your
aircraft is a finite space so you get a lot more challenges in managing
space and inventory,” she said.
New economy class seats feature an 11-inch touchscreen monitor. (Photo: Singapore Airlines)
The new cabin products will be fitted on the five new
A380s that SIA has on order with Airbus, with the rest of the fleet
scheduled to be retrofitted from now until 2020.
Mr Goh said
the airline’s “significant investment” on new cabin products
demonstrates its commitment to continued investment in products and
services, as well as a long-term approach to ensure SIA retains its
leadership position and “confidence in the future of premium
full-service air travel”.
The first revamped A380, flight
SQ221, will depart Singapore at 8.40pm on Dec 18 and arrive at 7.40am in
Sydney the next day. Additional destinations will be announced in the
coming months.
Since entering into service with SIA in October
2007, the superjumbos have flown to airports including Beijing,
Frankfurt, Hong Kong, London, Melbourne, Mumbai, New York and Paris.
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In the economy class, seats will offer more legroom and
back support, with a six-way adjustable headrest with foldable wings.
The seats will also come with an 11.1-inch touchscreen monitor, personal
storage space for small items, a coat hook, in-seat power supply and a
footrest with adjustable positions.
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