Think Pointy End travel is all about champagne? Think again. It’s about flying flat – and we have lumbar-tingling news: Singapore Airlines yesterday announced that (from the 1st of November 2019) customers will be able to enjoy Premium Economy and lie-flat Business Class seats on all of the airlines’ 36 weekly flights to and from Melbourne, with the introduction of the A350-900.
The introduction of the A350-900 on the SQ247/8 flight also means Singapore Airlines will offer lie-flat Business Class seats on all services to and from Australia from the 1st of November 2019.
Singapore Airlines’ Regional Vice President Southwest Pacific, Philip Goh said the introduction of the A350-900 to Melbourne will help perfect the company’s product consistency both domestically and abroad.
“We are very excited to be able to offer our customers a level of product consistency and service across all Singapore Airlines operated services to and from Australia.”
“From 1 November every one of our 141 weekly flights from our six destinations across Australia will provide customers the opportunity to enjoy a lie-flat Business Class seat, while those travelling from Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra will also have the choice of Premium Economy on every flight,” he added.
“Over the past 18 months we have continued to invest in the Australian market, deploying new aircraft to all of our stations across the country.”
Finally: “We’re pleased that the deployment of the A350-900 on flight SQ247/8 from 1 November, along with the other changes we have made over the past 18 months, will deliver customers across Australia improved product consistency, greater comfort, and the enjoyment of the latest cabin products complemented by our famous Singapore Airlines service.”
Does this really matter? If you look at the market trends (or the nearest business class lounge), you’ll see – as we reported last year – it really does. Business-class passengers are a discerning bunch, and (if you don’t count loyalty programs) premium consistency is arguably the most important variable to nail if you want to attract a well off, frequent flying demographic.
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On that note: Singapore Airlines’ lie-flat-prioritizing rollout comes amid plays by Qantas to boost their Pointy End offering in and around Australia (like phasing out the Boeing 737 in favour of the newer Airbus A330 on routes like Sydney-Denpasar, which we reported on in May this year).
It also follows Singapore Airlines confirmation last month that SQ247/8 will increase to five times weekly from 1 January, providing more travel options and connectivity to Wellington, Singapore and beyond.
Ready for action? Here’s what Singapore Airlines say about their new offering:
“The A350-900 features 42 Business Class seats in a 1-2-1 layout providing each customer with direct aisle access. Each seat converts into a 78-inch fully-flat bed with cushioned headboard for greater sleeping comfort [and] stowage has been designed to include a side console located above the armrest which allows laptop storage in both seat and bed mode.”
Also.
“Each Business Class seat boasts a personal 18-inch HD LCD screen along with noise cancelling headphones and a video touchscreen handset to help customers enjoy over 1,000 movies, TV, music and game choices on the KrisWorld in-flight entertainment system.”
Not bad.
As for the A350-900’s premium economy? This class, Singapore Airlines says, “features 24 seats in a 2-4-2 layout providing extra comfort, choices, and privileges for passengers.” The experience also starts with priority handling and boarding, and is followed by a seat that includes a calf-rest and footrest for extra comfort.
Further benefits include a seat which reclines up to eight inches (with a 38-inch pitch), a video touchscreen handset and a 13.3 inch HD touch screen monitor, as well as noise-cancelling headphones, and – of course – champagne.
And for those flying a little more economically, cattle class on Singapore Airlines’ A350-900 features 187 seats in a 3-3-3 layout, more legroom and personal space (compared to their older jets) and a 4-way adjustable sculpture headrest.
Another stand out Economy feature, the airline says, “is the 11.1-inch wide touch-screen personal monitor and video touch-screen handset” which lets you view “more than 1,000 entertainment options on [Singapore Airlines’] KrisWorld in-flight entertainment system throughout the journey.”
No matter what cabin you’re in, the A350-900 has been designed with ambience in mind, with higher ceilings, larger windows, and a extra-wide body (as well as a lighting system designed to reduce jetlag).
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As it stands, Singapore Airlines has a total of 67 A350-900 aircraft on firm order, having so far taken delivery of 38 of them, the first of which entered the fleet in March 2016.