SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines Ltd (SIA) has postponed the introduction of upgraded first and business class seats on its Airbus SE A350-900 fleet, setting it back in efforts to keep pace with rivals competing to be the world’s best airline.
The delay, from the second quarter of this year (2Q26) to 1Q27, is due to chronic global supply chain constraints and certification issues affecting one of the seat types, the company said in an emailed statement yesterday.
The first commercial flights with the overhauled interiors, which will affect seats from first class through to economy, remain subject to regulatory approval, but SIA plans to unveil the S$1.1bil (RM3.41bil) investment later this year.
In recent years, airlines have started rolling out major upgrades to attract customers in the luxury segment. SIA regularly ranks among the best airlines in the world alongside other Asian and Gulf carriers, but European and US airlines are also spending massively to improve first class suites.
SIA first announced the refit in November 2024, which will be applied to 41 of its Airbus A350s, including to its ultra-long-range Singapore-New York flights that take up to 18 hours. The same premium seats will also appear on its future Boeing Co 777-9 aircraft.
The delayed refit will coincide with the rollout of the Starlink in-flight Wi-Fi system, as SIA joins the likes of United Airlines, Qatar Airways and British Airways in adopting SpaceX’s low-earth-orbit satellite offering. — Bloomberg
