Singapore Airlines revamps cabins
Singapore Airlines has said it plans to introduce revamped seats and
cabin interiors with an upgraded in-flight entertainment in a bid to
stay ahead of Asian and Middle East rivals in the premium travel market.
SIA is regarded as a trendsetter in aviation and is famous for its
cabin service, but rivals like Cathay Pacific in Asia and Etihad,
Emirates and Gulf Air from the Middle East have been closing the gap
while offering lower fares.
It said Tuesday it has hired BMW Group subsidiary DesignworksUSA and
James Park Associates, two renowned design companies, to develop "next
generation of inflight cabin products" slated to be introduced next
year.
The changes will include revamped seats, redesigned cabins and
upgraded entertainment platforms as new passenger planes from Boeing and
Airbus begin arriving.
Emphasis will be on first and business class which generate the bulk
of its revenue but the airline said it will not overlook its economy
class which will offer improved seat and headrest comfort.
New Boeing 777-300 ERs are expected to enter service in the second
half of next year, followed progressively by Airbus A350s and Boeing
787s, the airline said.
But the airline said its current fleet, which includes Airbus A380
superjumbos, can also be retrofitted with the new designs.
"In this business, if you are staying still, you are moving backwards
as your competitors can catch up quickly ," said Tan Pee Teck, SIA's
senior vice president for products and services.
"It is therefore important to always be planning for the future."
Analysts say the airline is being squeezed in the first and business
class section by full-service carriers and in the economy class by low
cost airlines.
"Relatively speaking, Singapore Airlines is losing its competitive
edge in premium Asia travel not because it's a bad airline, but because
the others -- like Emirates -- are becoming so good," said Jonathan
Galaviz, managing director of Galaviz & Co which follows the global
airline and tourism sector.
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