Singapore Airlines shuns Star Alliance with new economy seat

In addition to its new first class and business class seats, Singapore Airline will roll out a new economy seat – but it’s not the Star Plus design intended to provide a common economy seat for all members of the Star Alliance group.

The Star Plus seat, launched in 2012 with Lufthansa and Air China signing up for the popular Pinnacle design by B/E Aerospace, was created so that Star Alliance airlines could offer a consistent economy travel experience while trimming cabin fitout costs.

However, Singapore Airlines surprised some industry pundits when it revealed a new ‘off the rack’ economy design from Zodiac/Weber.

A Singapore Airlines spokesman told Australian Business Traveller that while the airline considered the Star Plus seat “it wasn’t really what we were looking for, we wanted to go in a different direction.”

That direction is a seat which adds an extra inch of recline and slightly boosts legroom, especially around the knees.

Singapore Airlines says the design features new backrest seat cushions with side bolsters for improved back support,  plus an ‘ergonomically-sculptured headrest cushion’ with more height adjustments and better neck support.

Each seat also gets a swing-down front-mounted footrest and an 11.1 inch KrisWorld touchscreen monitor with a touchscreen handset controller.

A small reading light is fitted directly below the tilting screen, with a USB port to keep tablets and smartphones juiced up during the journey.

There’s also a small nook to stow your reading glasses during the flight and a shared laptop power socket between every two seats.

Singapore Airlines will continue with the 3-3-3 configuration as seen on its current Boeing 777 jets, although the new seats will be fitted only to new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft and SQ’s forthcoming Airbus A350s.

Watch: Video of Singapore Airlines' new first, business & economy seats

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

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.