Singapore Airlines plans S$2 billion-plus long-haul cabin overhaul
The programme covers 72 aircraft, with new seats scheduled to enter service from the second half of 2027.
Singapore Airlines has unveiled a redesign of all four cabin classes, committing more than S$2 billion to its long-haul fleet. The airline plans to introduce the new seating from the second half of 2027 in what it described as its most extensive cabin revamp.
The upgrades include first-class centre seats that turn into a double bed, which the carrier says will be commercial aviation's largest. Its business-class seats will have fully flat beds and, for the first time on Singapore Airlines, sliding doors for privacy.
The work spans 72 aircraft: existing Airbus A350-900s and Boeing 777-9s that have been ordered. Chief commercial officer Lee Lik Hsin told Reuters that delays to the 777-9 prompted the airline to extend the cabin programme to its A350s. The spending includes the S$1.1 billion A350 refurbishment announced in 2024 and is being financed from cash reserves, which totalled S$9.1 billion at end-June, he said.
Certification remains an obstacle. Lee said the seats had approval for the 777-9, but the aircraft itself was not yet certified; approval for the seats on the A350 was also outstanding. The A350 certification delay had postponed their introduction by about half a year. Lee said premium cabins accounted for most of the investment because first- and business-class seats cost substantially more per unit than economy seating.
