Singapore Airlines won’t wait for the Boeing 777-9 to be introduced any longer to start flying a new business and first class. They’re spending $835 million to retrofit 41 Airbus A350s, including adding first class to the ultra-long haul variant of the jet.
Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong says,
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 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 S$1.1 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.
Singapore Airlines Airbus A350
This won’t be a quick refresh. The first A350-900 with new interiors is expected to launch in the second quarter of 2026. The first A350-900ULR with new interiors will enter service in the first quarter of 2027. And it will take until 2030 before all 34 A350-900 long-haul and seven ultra-long range A350-900s to see these new interiors.
- A350-900s will remain three-class with business, premium economy, and coach
- A350-900ULRs will add a four-seat first class cabin
Business class gets doors and will be laid out in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration. This means an end to diagonal sleeping positions and restrictive footwells, which are the major complaints about the Singapore Airlines business class product today – that it’s great food and service but a lagging seat. For business class, then, this plane will be preferable to the Airbus A380.
Current A350 business class:
New A350 teaser image:
Credit: Singapore Airlines
First class won’t be the A380 suites with separate bed and seat.
Singapore Airbus A380 Suite
However it will be a good step up from the single row on the Boeing 777.
Singapore Boeing 777-300ER First Class
And it will finally mean first class on routes like New York – Singapore. (Currently first class lacks doors, but since that’ll happen even in business class we’ll see it in first as well.)
Credit: Singapore Airlines
Here’s a teaser video of the new first class, showing at least a three-window seat length.
The coach premium economy cabins will also undergo significant upgrades. They’ll densify coach sligtly with five additional seats but promise improved ergonomics. The ULR will se a significant reduction in premium economy to make room for first and a bigger business class, dropping from 94 to 58 seats.
Meanwhile, the KrisWorld in-flight entertainment system gets an upgrade with greater personalization and more selection, higher definition in premium cabins, and greater connectivity.
Unfortunately it will take until the end of the decade before the Singapore Airlines A350 fleet is fully aligned with these latest product standards.
I think we are going to see at least some cancellations by launch customers for the 777-9, and this is a good indication that SQ will be among them. SQ probably couldn’t expect its deliveries to begin until 2027 at the earliest at this point, and never is starting to look like a real possibility given Boeing’s production and labor problems and the once vanishingly remote possibility of a cancellation of the entire 777x program now increasing further from zero every year.
SIA go in one direction, all the US carriers in another, ditching their true F product when there’s more demand than ever for a truly good transoceanic first class product. Flying SIA has never been anything other than a fantastic experience, one of the few far east fliers that have stayed at the top of their game.
Doors doors doors. Other than the potty door the only other cabin door that’s needed is the one to the flight deck. (I fly up front too.)