In a significant milestone, Singapore Airlines will introduce a luxurious First Class cabin in its seven A350-900ULR aircraft, setting new industry benchmarks for travel on the world’s longest routes. Designed with increasingly discerning travellers in mind, these plush First Class seats promise to deliver an unparalleled in-flight experience.
Business Class customers can look forward to an elevated travel experience with SIA’s upcoming Business Class seats, featuring innovative designs that will offer even greater levels of privacy, comfort, and convenience in all 41 aircraft.
These A350-900 First Class and Business Class products are designed from the ground up, with a spacious layout and ergonomic elements that cater to every customer’s needs. These are the same seat designs that will feature on SIA’s upcoming Boeing 777-9 aircraft.
Premium Economy Class and Economy Class cabins will also be refreshed to enhance the travel experience for customers.
Complementing the cabin products, the next version of SIA’s KrisWorld in-flight entertainment (IFE) system will offer greater personalisation and an extensive range of lifestyle options across all cabin classes. First Class and Business Class seats will also feature new in-flight entertainment screens.
Talking about the project, Goh Choon Phong, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Airlines, said: “Over the past six years, we have extensively engaged customers and stakeholders in the design of our next-generation long-haul cabin products, anticipating their evolving preferences and expectations down to the finest detail.
The airline will continue to operate daily flights between Kolkata and Singapore, with the A350 services operating every Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The inaugural A350 service, SQ 516, will depart from Kolkata’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport at 2350 hours on March 26, 2023. SIA will continue to operate its B737-8 narrow-body services through the remainder of the week.
“The new First Class and Business Class seat designs will incorporate thoughtful elements that push the boundaries of comfort, luxury, and modernity, allowing our customers to relax or work effortlessly on board. Premium Economy Class and Economy Class customers can also look forward to refreshed cabin interiors that enhance their travel experience.“The SGD1.1 billion investment in retrofitting our 41 A350 aircraft reaffirms Singapore Airlines’ unwavering commitment to delivering an exceptional travel experience. The introduction of these next-generation seats and KrisWorld system, together with the world-renowned warm and attentive service of our cabin crew, will set new standards in innovation, customer experience, and service excellence.”
The aircraft will be retrofitted by SIA Engineering Company in Singapore. The first retrofitted A350-900 long-haul aircraft is expected to enter service in the second quarter of 2026, while the first A350-900ULR variant will follow in the first quarter of 2027. The entire programme is targeted for completion by the end of 2030.
Post-retrofit, the 34 A350-900 long-haul aircraft will be configured with 42 Business Class seats, 24 Premium Economy Class seats, and 192 Economy Class seats. The seven A350-900ULR variants will feature four First Class seats, 70 Business Class seats, and 58 Premium Economy Class seats.
