Best seats in business class: Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-200ER

Business class on Singapore Airlines' refitted Boeing 777-200ERs proves almost identical to what you'll get aboard the airline's flagship Airbus A380s, but with a few tweaks and touches to maximise your space for sleeping and working.

Now gracing Australian skies on overnight flights from Brisbane to Singapore – and planned also for flights between Sydney and Jakarta – here are our top seating picks in business class, whether you're aiming to work through the flight, catch some shut-eye or chat with your partner.

Singapore Airlines refitted Boeing 777-200ER business class: the basics

Singapore Airlines spreads 26 business class seats across the first seven rows of its refitted Boeing 777-200ERs, configured in a 1-2-1 layout that places the 'A' and 'K' seats by the windows and the 'D' and 'F' seats in the centre:

Even though there's no first class cabin, business class begins at row 11 and also skips the 'unlucky' row 13, with all seats found together within a single 'zone' of the aircraft.

Note that Singapore Airlines' other, non-refitted Boeing 777-200ERs instead feature a different type of business class seat and use a different layout also, for which this guide does not apply.

Singapore Airlines refitted Boeing 777-200ER business class: best seats

For sleeping – 11A, 11K: While every business class seat here transforms into a fully-flat bed, the window seats in the first row provide considerably more space both beside and in front of you, as there's no narrow 'foot cubby' to contend with.

Instead, you can spread out as you wish, which taller travellers will particularly appreciate:

If 11A and 11K are already taken or otherwise unavailable, look to 11D or 11F instead – also with extra foot space, but not as roomy:

Also note that 11A & 11K double as bassinet seats, so if there's a baby-toting traveller on your flight and you've perched yourself here, there's a chance you may be moved to accommodate them.

For productivity – other A, K seats: Those bulkhead seats above certainly are spacious, although they lack many of the storage nooks afforded to passengers in the other rows.

On daytime flights when you're planning to work, we're sure you'll appreciate this extra storage bin – handily located near the USB and power outlets for convenient charging of your devices...

... as opposed to your only at-seat storage option in those bulkhead seats: a literature pocket that already comes filled with literature:

For couples – the D + F pairs: When travelling with your significant other, aim for one of the seven centre pairs.

You'll need to lean forward slightly to see each other when sitting upright, although with each seat measuring 30 inches wide, one traveller could certainly visit the other's seat while enjoying a movie – there's even a second headphone outlet at these seats to make this easy.

If you're a solo traveller and can't snag a window seat, don't fret – there are two sturdy privacy dividers which can be opened in between, so that even if one passenger retracts theirs, the other can remain in place.

Avoid 18D, 18F: Found in the very back row of business class, these seats are practically next to the main aircraft door used for boarding economy passengers (18D even more so than 18F), and what's more, the two business class restrooms are located directly behind.

That severely limits your privacy both on the ground and in the air with so many passengers passing by these seats, not to mention the extra noise from the lavatories.

Instead, as there are no restrooms ahead of business class – only rearward, behind these seats – you'll find greater privacy in a row further forward instead.

Also read: Singapore Airlines brings fully-flat business class to Brisbane

Connect with other business travellers in our Singapore Airlines discussion group

Chris C.

Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.