Singapore Airlines delays Airbus A380 premium economy rollout
By David Flynn, September 3 2015
Singapore Airlines has pushed back the rollout of its new premium economy seats on 11 flagship Airbus A380 routes, including the daily SQ221/232 flights between Sydney and Singapore as well as popular connections to Europe including London and Paris.
The move will impact bookings for the better-than-economy class beginning from September 9th and spanning through to March 2016.
In addition, four A380 routes – to New York (via Frankfurt), London, Zurich and Tokyo – have been scrubbed from the original premium economy upgrade schedule, with Singapore Airlines now stating that "revised dates for the introduction of Premium Economy to be confirmed later."
"Due to delays in the seat installation programme for Premium Economy Class on our Airbus A380 fleet, Premium Economy will not be available for some confirmed bookings" the airline said in a statement issued earlier today.
Travellers already booked into SQ premium economy on the affected flights "will be contacted progressively by Singapore Airlines or travel agents to offer alternative travel arrangements," the airline added.
Eight daily A380 flights will no longer offer a premium economy cabin according to Singapore Airlines' revised schedule (below), while others will have premium economy only on three to four days per week.
The rollout of premium economy on Singapore Airlines' Boeing 777-300ER jets has not been affected.
Singapore Airlines launched premium economy on the Singapore-Sydney route in early August and planned to refit its entire superjumbo fleet to include premium economy "by the first quarter of 2016," Executive Vice President Commercial, Mak Swee Wah told Australian Business Traveller at the launch.
The leather-clad seats, created for Singapore Airlines by JPA Design, are between 18.5 inches and 19.5 inches wide (depending on aircraft type) with a pitch of 38 inches, compared to a 19 inch width and tighter 32 inch pitch in standard economy.
In addition to a greater 8 inch recline, padded legrest and more in-seat storage space, passengers are also treated to champagne and can pre-select meals from Singapore Airlines' 'Book the Cook' service. The seats also include their own AC power socket and a pair of USB sockets, while passengers enjoy priority check-in and a higher checked baggage allowance than economy. Follow Australian Business Traveller on Twitter: we're @AusBT David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
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Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
15 Dec 2014
Total posts 284
Knew this would happen! No airline can keep promises, no matter how great or small!
18 Nov 2011
Total posts 33
Problem not with SQ but with A380. There seem doubts for the future 380 in SQ once 350 commencing services.
31 Mar 2014
Total posts 397
Link? Source?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Mar 2014
Total posts 8
I was just about to book it last week but got a good deal with CX, glad I changed my mind!
04 Sep 2015
Total posts 1
I am so disappointed with Singapore Airlines. My friend and I are passengers that have been affected by this and they have been so unhelpful. To offer to either give us a full refund which takes 4 - 6 weeks to come through or downgrade us to economy class, give us an on-board spending voucher and a certificate of upgrade to be used at a later date, is just not good enough. Not even an offer to upgrade us to Business Class at a reduced rate for the inconvenience even although they have spare seats!! Their attitude is absolutely appalling. I will never fly Singapore Airlines, nor will I recommend them to anyone else. Absolutely discgraceful.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
13 Dec 2014
Total posts 79
Just for the record: have you flown SQ before and are you a KrisFlyer member?
10 Aug 2015
Total posts 113
Which option have you chosen? The 4-6 weeks is far too long, and may be worth contacting the ACCC or Fair Trading in your state. Failure to supply can occur and within the Trade Practices Act there would be elements to ensure a swift refund and compensation for any loss you have suffered.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
09 Dec 2015
Total posts 8
Guess what after the first delay .... its delayed again !!! this time the dumped me down just 1 day before my flight without even the courtesy of informing me (had to find out on my own) and no compensation mentioned and not giving me any solid options for alternatives
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