Facing further delays in the arrival of its next-gen Boeing 777-9 fleet, Singapore Airlines will now launch the 777X first and business class suites on its A350s in a sweeping SGD$1.1bn upgrade program.
Singapore Airlines’ A350s are set for a suite makeover.
And, to nobody’s surprise, both will be private suites where travellers can close a door to create a cosy cocoon above the clouds, according to a teaser shared by the Star Alliance member.
A teaser of Singapore Airlines’ new A350 business class suite.
The ultra-long range A350ULR – which flies marathon routes such as non-stop from Singapore to New York – will also gain four exclusive first class seats added in a single row at the front of the plane.
Another teaser image hints at high-end finishes such as slat doors finished in copper colouring…
A teaser of Singapore Airlines’ new A350 first class suite.
… behind which will be a spacious suite long enough for three A350 windows with electronic blinds to filter out the light, and what we can see is a very large video screen.
A teaser of Singapore Airlines’ new A350 first class suite.
Not to be left behind, the long-range A350-900s will adopt the same business class as the A350-900ULRs.
Both of these A350s today have business class seats based on a design from the early 2010s which debuted in 2013, and which retains two less-traveller friends traits:
- the seat must be manually flipped over to become a bed, rather than gradually reclining through several positions
- small spaces into which passengers have to carefully tuck their feet (while also sleeping at an angle)
Singapore Airlines’ current A350 ultra-long range business class.
Singapore Airlines says the new A350-900 first and business class products are “designed from the ground up, with a spacious layout and ergonomic elements that cater to every customer’s needs.”
Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong says the new first and business class seats have been developed over the past six years, and saw the airline “extensively engaged (with) 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.”
The first of the upgraded long-range A350-900s is expected to take wing in the second quarter of 2026, with the A350-900ULR following in the first quarter of 2027. The entire program is targeted for completion by the end of 2030.
The medium-range A350s will retain their current business class, which is identical to that of SQ’s Boeing 787-10s.