Singapore Airlines has unveiled its new Airbus A380 business and first class suites that it will sell at a significant premium to today”s product.
Launching the 12 first and 62 business class seats yesterday at the formal A380 handover ceremony in Toulouse ” Singapore Airlines maintained it has ”gone beyond First” in its front end concepts.
And in an age where several airlines have recently raised the business class bar, Singapore appears to have gone one step further ” particularly now it has the groundbreaking A380.
Referring to its first class as ”suites,” the carrier”s premier offering really is a step up with a full-sized flat bed, sliding doors and companion seat for dining purposes.
But it is Singapore”s business class that will make the opposition sit up and take notice. Spread over two decks in tandem with economy, although in firmly delineated cabins, a 34” seat width coupled with 55” seat pitch, sets this offering apart.
Business class
One of the strange sensations about the A380 is that passengers do not have the feeling of being either above or below. Singapore has kitted out its aircraft in a way that differentiates cabins through colour and lighting, but it doesn”t feel like 471 people are on board.
Economy passengers can walk upstairs via a rear staircase, although whether they would be encouraged to stroll through the business class section is another matter.
Singapore Airlines CEO Chew Choon Seng, was clearly a relieved man in Toulouse and pulled no punches concerning the A380 programme delay. ”We were inconvenienced and I would be less than candid if I said we were not unhappy with the situation,” he said.
”But the extra time has allowed Airbus to deliver to us what we consider quite a mature aircraft.”
And despite the carrier having 19 Boeing 747 aircraft in its fleet, the Singapore CEO seemed far more enamoured with the new model. ”The competitor product is a 747 and don”t mistake me, it”s a good aircraft, except that it”s not a new design such as the A380.”
And he made no bones about charging extra for both first and business class either as he told ABTN: ”For business class, we will be aiming at a 20% yield improvement but we can only charge what the market will bear.
First class suite