Singapore Airlines says it will fit its new first class, business class and economy seats to factory-fresh aircraft including the Airbus 350, but has no firm plans to upgrade existing planes, including its flagship Airbus A380s and extensive Boeing 777 fleet.
The airline’s new seats and its improved KrisWorld inflight entertainment system will debut in September on a new Boeing 777-300ER plying the London-Singapore route.
Seven more of the long-range Boeing jets will join the Singapore Airlines fleet and score the new seats over the next two years, says Singapore Airlines senior vice-president Tan Pee Teck, along with the forthcoming Airbus A350s.
However, Tan told Australian Business Traveller that Singapore Airlines has no firm plans to upgrade its current fleet.
While allowing that there is “the possibilty of retrofits to aircraft already in service”, Tan said “we are reviewing our plans on how and when to introduce (the new seats) to other fleet types”.
Read our report on Singapore Airlines' new first class suites and business class seats, and watch video of all the seats plus interviews with the designers.
Australian Business Traveller is attending the launch of Singapore Airlines' new seats in Singapore as a guest of Singapore Airlines.
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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.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2011
Total posts 732
This makes eprfect sense from a cost perspective. SQ have only recently started upgrading their oldest 777 with the new (soon to be old) C class seat. Their newer 777 and A380's all have new C and either a First Class Suite or First Class seat, which are on par if not a notch above what the competition offers. Last year SQ only posted a profit largely due to the sell of surplus aircraft and aterials, not because the passenger division did very well. Still a shame of course that you will not have consistency for some time in product (esp since to Australia for instance they also fly their regional product), but I guess this inconsistency is not as bad as for instance TG or even EK.
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3006
I find it quite fascinating how in-flight quality and standards across the Star Alliance network is wide and varied.
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