SIA to refit B777 cabins
Singapore Airlines (SIA) will invest nearly SG$95 million (US$78m) to refit the cabins of 10 Boeing 777-200ER aircraft.
The airline said the upgrade programme was intended to provide “greater product consistency” across its long-haul fleet, with the addition of fully flat-bed seats in business class and upgraded in-flight entertainment in both business and economy.
The first refitted B777-200ER will be put into service between Singapore and Amsterdam from 13 January 2013. Subsequent upgraded aircraft will then be rolled-out to destinations including Mumbai, Auckland, Cape Town, Christchurch, Copenhagen, Istanbul, Rome and Sydney.
The new leather business class seat, which unfolds into a 76-inch full-flat bed, is the same as that currently offered aboard SIA’s Airbus A380s, and will be configured in a forward-facing 1-2-1 layout, giving all passengers direct aisle access. In-flight entertainment will be upgraded with 15.4-inch LCD monitors in business class and larger nine-inch personal screens in economy. The economy class seat covers will also be changed.
The move marks the latest phase in a major upgrade of SIA’s customer experience. In September 2012, the airline announced plans to equip for than 40 of its aircraft with Panasonic’s latest eX3 system in-flight entertainment systems, which features mobile and broadband internet connectivity. It has also committed to spending SG$20m on a major revamp of its SilverKris Lounges.