Singapore Airlines Unveils $1.5 Billion Cabin Overhaul Across Classes

Singapore Airlines (SIA) has unveiled a S$2 billion ($1.5 billion) cabin product overhaul featuring new seats, amenities, dining and service offerings across all four classes.

The refresh is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the airline’s recent history.

The new seats were initially developed for the Boeing 777-9, but continued delays to the aircraft program prompted SIA to extend the first- and business-class products to its Airbus A350-900ULR fleet. The long-haul A350-900 will receive only the new business-class seats.

SIA expects to begin rolling out the products in the second half of 2027, although it has not disclosed which aircraft type will receive them first. The rollout remains subject to certification and aircraft availability.

Chief Commercial Officer Lee Lik Hsin said the seats have been certified for the 777-9 but not the A350-900. The 777-9 has yet to receive FAA certification.

Despite delays in the rollout of the A350 retrofit from the second quarter of 2026 to the first quarter of 2027, and then to the second half of 2027, Lee said he still expects the full program to be completed by the end of 2030.

Development began as early as 2018, when SIA gathered feedback and requirements from more than 5,000 passengers through focus groups and trials. Senior Vice President of Customer Experience Yeoh Phee Teik said the COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity to further refine the products in response to evolving passenger expectations.

“We turned [COVID] into an opportunity for us,” he said. “We took advantage of the time to refine our design, the final elements of the product, [and] conducted more customer research to ensure that the design we’re going to unveil is still relevant.”

The result is a new first-class suite, designed by PriestmanGoode and manufactured by Collins Aerospace. The 777-9 will feature six suites, while the A350-900ULR will have four, in a 1-2-1 configuration. The suites offer a seat width of 23 in. (58 cm), and the two center seats can be converted into a queen-sized double bed. SIA describes it as the largest double bed available in commercial aviation.

Business-class seats, designed by BMW Group subsidiary Designworks and manufactured by Recaro, will feature sliding privacy doors for the first time in SIA’s business-class cabin, alongside a new darker color scheme. The 777-9 will have 54 seats, the A350-900ULR will have 70, and the long-haul A350-900 will have 42.

Designworks said the aim was to give the seats the feel and comfort of a performance car while incorporating spatial elements associated with hospitality environments.

As with first class, the center business-class seats will have fully retractable dividers to accommodate passengers traveling together. SIA said customers have frequently requested this feature.

The premium-economy cabin will retain a relatively modest layout, with 36 seats in a 2-4-2 configuration on the 777-9. Designed by Factorydesign and manufactured by Collins Aerospace, the seats will have a 40-in. pitch and 9-in. recline.

The 777-9 will feature 204 new economy-class seats, also designed by Factorydesign and manufactured by Collins Aerospace. They will have a seat pitch of 31-32 in. and a recline of 6 in. Aviation Daily understands that SIA will refresh the upholstery—but not install new seats—on existing economy-class seats aboard its A350 fleet.

Lee said SIA would continue to introduce “peripheral” improvements to the seats as competition and technology evolve, noting that cabin seats represent long-term investments. The airline also said the new cabin products would not add to aircraft weight.

Ahead of the unveiling, SIA announced new amenity products, an upgraded Panasonic inflight entertainment system and a revamped menu featuring 100 new food offerings. The airline also plans to introduce Starlink inflight connectivity on the 777-9, Airbus A380 and long-haul A350-900 fleets.