Singapore Airlines unveils new first and business class seats in S$2 billion A350 upgrade
The carrier will retrofit its Airbus A350 long-haul jets from mid-2027 with new premium cabins, as delays to Boeing's 777-9 push back its fleet renewal.
At a glance
- Singapore Airlines is investing more than S$2 billion ($1.6 billion) in new cabins, dining and entertainment.
- New first- and business-class seats will debut on A350 long-haul and ultra-long-range jets from mid-2027.
- The retrofit follows delays to Boeing's 777-9, which will not be delivered to customers before 2027.
Singapore Airlines will fit new first- and business-class seats to its Airbus A350 long-haul and ultra-long-range aircraft from mid-2027, part of a wider seating, dining and entertainment upgrade worth more than S$2 billion ($1.6 billion), the airline said.
The new products will roll out progressively across the A350 fleet and will also appear on the Boeing 777-9 when that aircraft enters service with SIA.
What the new cabins include
First-class passengers get 32-inch 4K high-definition screens and Bang and Olufsen noise-cancelling headphones, and can book configurations offering a double bed or face-to-face dining. Travelling companions seated side by side can choose to dine facing each other, and adjoining first-class seats can be converted into a double bed that SIA claims is the largest in commercial aviation.
Business-class seats come with 22-inch 4K screens, wireless charging and Bluetooth audio connectivity. The full-flat bed measures 79 inches long and up to 24 inches wide, and selected centre seats can be configured as companion beds when the dividers are lowered.
777-9 delays pushed the retrofit
Chief commercial officer Lee Lik Hsin said at a Nov 4 media briefing that the decision to bring the products to the A350 was due to the delays with the 777-9. Boeing said in its third-quarter earnings that it will not deliver the first 777-9 to customers until 2027; the jets had been slated for 2021.
Chief operating officer Tan Kai Ping said in May that the programme was a "long-delayed" one and would not join SIA's fleet in the financial year ending March 2027. "Fingers crossed, it shows up in the next financial year," he said.
Smaller changes for economy, plus lounges and Starlink
Economy and premium economy get more modest updates: an extra inch of reclining space in premium economy, new upholstery and new 4K seatback entertainment monitors. Those features will only appear on the incoming 777-9 aircraft, where economy will also get a "next generation" Krisworld system.
In September, SIA announced new inflight menus and beverage offerings across all classes, custom-designed Christofle serviceware for premium cabins, and branded amenity kits — Sisley in first class and BYREDO in business — along with sleepwear for business-class passengers for the first time.
Separately, the airline is spending S$130 million to renovate its SilverKris lounges and to create an end-to-end experience at Singapore Changi Airport for Suites and first-class passengers, including concierge service, priority immigration and security clearance, and a buggy transfer service.
SIA was named the World's Best Airline for 2026 by Skytrax and took the World's Best Economy Class title, but lost the business-class category to Qatar Airways and first class to Air France. The airline has also said it will introduce Starlink on almost all of its Airbus aircraft, except the A350 medium-haul variant, from the first quarter of 2027, covering about half its current fleet.
Source: CNBC.
Questions and answers
- When will Singapore Airlines' new business and first class seats launch?
- They will progressively debut on the Airbus A350 long-haul and ultra-long-range aircraft from mid-2027, and will also appear on the Boeing 777-9 when it enters service.
- What do Singapore Airlines' new first class seats include?
- They feature 32-inch 4K screens, Bang and Olufsen noise-cancelling headphones, and options to book double bed or face-to-face dining configurations. SIA says the double bed is the largest in commercial aviation.
- Why is Singapore Airlines retrofitting its A350s instead of waiting for the 777-9?
- Chief commercial officer Lee Lik Hsin said the decision was due to delays with the 777-9. Boeing has said it will not deliver the first 777-9 to customers until 2027.
