It’s no secret that Singapore Airlines would have liked to introduce its next generation First and Business Class seats back in 2021, but for repeated delays to the Boeing 777-9, the intended launch platform.
With the beleaguered aircraft manufacturer suffering setback after setback, the delivery timeline has now slipped by at least five years, with the latest delay meaning a first delivery no earlier than 2026- and since SIA isn’t even the launch customer, that could easily become 2027!
SIA passed on an opportunity to debut the new cabin products on its Airbus A350-900ULRs earlier this year, when all seven aircraft went for heavy maintenance and emerged unchanged. But it looks like the latest delay has forced their hand, as the national carrier hasย announced a S$1.1 billion multi-year refit programme that will install all-new long haul cabin products across 41 Airbus A350-900 long-haul (LH) and ultra-long-range (ULR) aircraft.
โOver the past six years, we have extensively engaged 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.
โThe 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. Premium Economy Class and Economy Class customers can also look forward to refreshed cabin interiors that enhance their travel experience.
โThe S$1.1 billion investment in retrofitting our 41 A350 aircraft reaffirms Singapore Airlinesโ unwavering commitment to delivering an exceptional travel experience. The introduction of these next-generation seats and KrisWorld system, together with the world-renowned warm and attentive service of our cabin crew, will set new standards in innovation, customer experience, and service excellence.”
-Goh Choon Phong, SIA CEO
This much-needed upgrade will feature the same seats as the upcoming Boeing 777-9, whenever it finally arrives. In short, SIA has finally given up waiting for Boeing, and will now debut its latest cabin products on an Airbus aircraft instead.
But don’t jump online to book seats just yet. The first retrofitted A350-900LH is only expected to enter service in Q2 2026, while the first A350-900ULR will follow in Q1 2027. The entire programme is targeted for completion by the end of 2030.ย
There’s still a while to go!
Singapore Airlines announces A350 cabin refit programme
Singapore Airlines will be refitting a total of 41 Airbus A350-900 aircraft with new cabin products, split into:
| Aircraft Type | Number Refit | First Refit Entering Service |
| Airbus A350-900LH | 34/34* 100% |
Q2 2026 |
| Airbus A350-900ULR | 7/7 100% |
Q1 2027 |
| *There are currently only 33x A350-900LHs in service, but the final one, 9V-SJI, is expected to be delivered any day now | ||
This represents the entirety of the A350-900LH and A350-900ULR fleets, and it’s good news because it means no product fragmentation once the refits are complete. That wasn’t the case with the Boeing 777-300ERs, where a partial refit meant cabin roulette until the older airframes were eventually retired.
At the same time, it’s somewhat unexpected because the oldest A350-900LHs are already 8+ years old, and some will be more than a decade old by the time the first refitted A350-900LH enters service in Q2 2026!
| โ๏ธ SIA Airbus A350-900LH Fleet | |
| Airframe | Age (as of Nov-24) |
| 9V-SMA | 8.8 years |
| 9V-SMB | 8.6 years |
| 9V-SMC | 8.5 years |
| 9V-SMD | 8.4 years |
| 9V-SME | 8.3 years |
| 9V-SMF | 8.1 years |
| 9V-SMG | 7.9 years |
| 9V-SMH | 7.9 years |
| 9V-SMI | 7.9 years |
| 9V-SMJ | 7.9 years |
| 9V-SMK | 7.7 years |
| 9V-SML | 7.6 years |
| 9V-SMM | 7.5 years |
| 9V-SMN | 7.5 years |
| 9V-SMO | 7.4 years |
| 9V-SMP | 7.4 years |
| 9V-SMQ | 7.3 years |
| 9V-SMR | 7.1 years |
| 9V-SMS | 7.0 years |
| 9V-SMT | 6.9 years |
| 9V-SMU | 6.8 years |
| 9V-SMV | 5.3 years |
| 9V-SMW | 5.2 years |
| 9V-SMY | 5.2 years |
| 9V-SMZ | 5.0 years |
| 9V-SJA | 5.0 years |
| 9V-SJB | 3.4 years |
| 9V-SJC | 2.4 years |
| 9V-SJD | 2.3 years |
| 9V-SJE | 3.4 years |
| 9V-SJF | 1.7 years |
| 9V-SJG | 1.3 years |
| 9V-SJH | 0.6 years |
The A350-900ULRs are slightly younger at around six years as of today, and the refits mean we can expect to see them in service for some time to come.
| โ๏ธ SIA Airbus A350-900ULR Fleet | |
| Airframe | Age (as of Nov-24) |
| 9V-SGA | 6.3 years |
| 9V-SGB | 6.2 years |
| 9V-SGC | 6.2 years |
| 9V-SGD | 6.0 years |
| 9V-SGE | 6.5 years* |
| 9V-SGF | 6.0 years |
| 9V-SGG | 5.9 years |
| *Not a typo; 9V-SGE is actually the oldest A350-900ULR despite having a lower alphabet sequence | |
SIA is targeting a total refit of all 41 aircraft by the end of 2030, which works out to an average of 9-10 aircraft refit per year. Aircraft will be retrofitted by SIA Engineering Company in Singapore.ย
| ๐ฌ Expert View |
|
I’m not surprised by the retrofit of all the A350LHs. I don’t think there is a replacement yet for these? COVID has changed a lot. Not only were the aircraft not utilized as much during the pandemic but buying new aircraft/ getting them delivered/ renewing the fleet is not the same these days. The A380s were also retrofitted at a rather old age for SIA. Typically you will see a retrofit of any owned SIA aircraft before they are phased out (the first five A380s and the A330s were exceptions as they were leased). The A350s are the workhorse for SIA and will be for a long time. Their performance, particularly on long-haul, has been very good. The latest batch of A350LHs (higher gross weight) have even performed very well on US west coast nonstops.ย I’m also not surprised by the decision to add a first class cabin and shrink premium economy cabin on the ULR. As I’ve said before something had to give with the ULR as the PE cabin is just too large from a commercial perspective. The PE fares on the US nonstops have simply been too low from the beginning. Removing 26 of the 94 PE seats means SIA will no longer have to price out a big chunk of this cabin at what are essentially regular economy fares. There is an obvious opportunity to attract first class passengers on the ULR routes and sell fewer discounted premium economy seats. This aircraft should do very well following the changes in the New York market – it will be interesting to see how this fleet is used in future besides EWR/JFK as LAX/SFO commercially are really better off with the A350LH (newer batches exclusively). Like everyone else I look forward to seeing the details on the new seats as they are so overdue. Let’s hope there are no delays and the long-haul product will be consistent from early next decade (excluding the A380 of course – that’s another story given it is supposedly the flagship) -Brendan Sobie, Sobie Aviation |
What kind of cabin products can we expect?
With more than a year to go before the first refit A350-900 enters service, Singapore Airlines is understandably tight-lipped as to the details of the cabin products, and has shared very little in its press release.ย
These A350-900 First Class and Business Class products are designed from the ground up, with a spacious layout and ergonomic elements that cater to every customerโs needs.
-Singapore Airlines
However, we can make some educated guesses from the reconfiguration plans, which have been announced.
Where the A350-900LH is concerned, the aircraft is retaining the same number of Business Class and Premium Economy Class seats, with Economy Class getting denser by five seats.ย
| โ๏ธ Airbus A350-900LH | ||
| ย | Current | Refit |
| First Class | – | – |
| Business Class | 42 | 42 |
| Premium Economy Class | 24 | 24 |
| Economy Class | 187 | 192 |
| Total | 253 | 258 |
So there are three possibilities here:
- That the five additional Economy Class seats come from cannibalising its own space, which means that the new Business Class seat occupies the same footprint as the existing one
- That the five additional Economy Class seats have come from a smaller Premium Economy and/or Business Class seat
- That the five additional Economy Class seats have come from space savings from a smaller galley or some other service area
Sorry to those in the back, but I really hope it’s (1) or (3). In any case, I don’t think spaciousness has ever been a complaint of the 2013J seat on the A350-900LH/ULR (though the cramped footwell has certainly been!), so even if the seats are getting slightly smaller, it’s not the end of the world.ย
Where the A350-900ULR is concerned, it’s harder to do a comparison because of the addition of a First Class cabin. However, we do know that 36 Premium Economy Class seats (approximately 4-5 rows) will be sacrificed to make way for three more Business Class and four new First Class seats.ย
| โ๏ธ Airbus A350-900ULR | ||
| ย | Current | Refit |
| First Class | – | 4 |
| Business Class | 67 | 70 |
| Premium Economy Class | 94 | 58 |
| Economy Class | – | – |
| Total | 161 | 132 |
One teaser render and one teaser video have been shared for First and Business Class (link).
First Class
In First Class, SIA is promising a “luxurious” First Class cabin with “plush seats” that will “set new industry benchmarks for travel on the worldโs longest routes.”
The 21-second render video opens by showing a pair of shuttered French doors…
…which pull apart to reveal a silhouette of the First Class suite with windows covered by electric blinds…
…which then open to wash out the rest of the detail, ending the video.ย
If we tweak the contrast a bit on the last frame we can see the outline of an oversized flat screen monitor, which will almost certainly be a 4K display with all the latest bells and whistles.ย
Very little has been given away, obviously, but we now know that each passenger will have three windows, which gives a clue as to the seat’s dimensions.
The Suites Class over on the Airbus A380 have two windows each, but they’re actually around three windows long, with the last window clad over. You can see that quite clearly in the photo below, as well as in the AeroLOPA seat map.
So I would expect the new First Class seat to be at least as long as the current A380 suites, though obviously not as wide (given the difference in fuselages).ย
Business Class
In Business Class, SIA says that customers can “look forward to an elevated travel experience, featuring innovative designs that will offer even greater levels of privacy, comfort, and convenience”.
The 12-second render video literally shows two things: the seat with the door closed…
…and the seat with the door open, with the kind of lens flare that JJ Abrams would be proud of.
Well, at least we’ve now confirmed the worst-kept secret: that SIA is joining team door. That should come as a surprise to no one, since doors have become a must-have feature in Business Class. There’s noticeable gap at the floor, and the door isn’t full height (no Emirates Gamechanger First Class doors here!), but that’s pretty much what you’d expect.
SIA says that the seats have been built from the ground up, but the first thing that came to mind when I saw it was Thomson Aero Vantage XL.ย Maybe it’s just me, but I think they share at least a superficial resemblance, right down to the little “lip” near the bottom of the door.
The main difference would be that with Thomson Aero Vantage XL seats like DeltaOne, the door recesses into a nook and is hidden from view when opened. In the render, we see the door sliding on top of the seat’s walls instead. Also, I know it’s impossible to gauge distance from a fixed-perspective render, but my gut tells me the shell of the Singapore Airlines seat is higher, which should provide more privacy.
Either way, I’m quite certain we can expect a expect a a forward-facing 1-2-1 configuration with staggered, full-flat seats that alternate in the manner shown below (based off an AeroLOPA seat map for Delta One on an A350-900).ย
This render rules out an alternating forward/aft facing seat ala Qsuites or ANA’s The Room, and would solve three of the biggest criticisms of SIA’s current long-haul Business Class product:
- No more sleeping diagonally
- A bigger footwell when fully reclined
- No more requirement to flip the seat over into a bed
Also, it’s almost certain the side tables will have wireless charging, and inflight entertainment displays will be 4K with Bluetooth audio support.ย
Premium Economy and Economy Class
SIA has not shared any details about the Premium Economy and Economy Class cabins, beyond the fact they’ll be “refreshed to enhance the travel experience for customers”.
However, it appears these cabins won’t be getting new inflight entertainment screens, which I’m basing on this line.
Complementing the cabin products, the next version of SIAโs KrisWorld in-flight entertainment (IFE) system will offer greater personalisation and an extensive range of lifestyle options across all cabin classes. First Class and Business Class seats will also feature new in-flight entertainment screens.
-Singapore Airlines
Does that mean no 4K goodness for those at the back? We’ll have to see.
When will we know more?
As mentioned, the first retrofitted aircraft is scheduled to enter service in Q2 2026, and Singapore Airlines typically doesn’t unveil the details of its new seats until at most six months prior (they’re not Lufthansa, you know!).
So I would expect there to be an unveiling event in Q3 or Q4 of 2025, most likely the latter. That will mark nine years since the last introduction of a new Business Class seat- a streak I suspect SIA never wants to repeat!
| ๐บ SIA Long-haul Business Class Seats | |
| Year of Introduction | Seat |
| 1998 |  Ultimo |
| 2002 (+4 years) |
 Spacebed |
| 2006 (+4 years) |
 2006J |
| 2013 (+7 years) |
 2013J |
| 2017 (+4 years) |
 2017J |
| Q2 2026 (+9 years) |
2026J |
| SIA launched a new Business Class seat in 2021, but this is a regional product that will only feature on the B737 Max 8 | |
Conclusion
Singapore Airlines has announced a S$1.1 billion retrofit of its Airbus A350-900LH and ULR aircraft, which will see all new cabin products, including the addition of a First Class cabin on the ULRs.
Details on the seats themselves are scant for now, but the renders do provide plenty of hints as to the direction SIA is heading. I will try to digest this over the next few days and publish more thoughts, but my initial sense is that even though the First Class seat may well be a “quantum leap” for the industry (SIA’s words), the Business Class seat may not necessarily be.
What are your thoughts on the new First and Business Class cabin products?
Hi Aaron, will you be reviewing the new Business and First Class products?
i will certainly want to, but q2 2026 is a very long way away!
Hi Aaron,
Is the 700 -300 ER supposed to be replaced by the new Boeing airplane and thatโs why no retrofit?
the b777-300er aircraft will be replaced by the b777-9, yes. hence no refit
Why did no one ever complain about sleeping diagonally on any reverse herringbone seat? Itโs literally the same except 2013J gives you space around the hipsโฆ
subtle, but important point. with a reverse herringbone seat, you sleep diagonally relative to the direction of plane travel, but you are facing straight with regards to all your other activities e.g eating, watching TV.
with the 2013j, you eat and watch tv straight. you sleep diagonally.
If it was a recline or seat where eating or watching TV half reclined was possible Iโd say fair (and complaining about the flip-over is fair – I loved the giant 2006Js but can understand itโs not for everyone)
But how would one eat while fully horizontal??
Do you think they do single aisle 1-1 for first class in a350ULR?
Since plane seating capacity is low and should easily meet evacuation requirements
it crossed my mind, but i don’t think they’d be willing to give up that amount of space for a first class cabin that may not always be full. 1-2-1 is much more likely (would love to be proven wrong!)
Or maybe 1-1-1 to compete with emirates and jal first. But unfortunately that wouldnโt be couple friendly
but Aaron said SIA has announced that they will be adding a total of 4 First Class seats on A359, so can’t be 1-1-1… The best way to add 4 First Class is by using 1-2-1, as the other option (2 rows of 1-1) would already make them as big as the Suites class
If you refer to Economy class passengers as โthose at the backโ more than once in an article, you get certified as an asshole.
“those at the rear”?
Those who are not in front of the wings.
Those who did not receive the pre boarding drinks
Those who can do a poor man’s biz class. LOL! Come on, we all sit at the back – it’s a fact.
actually there was a time when poor man’s biz class was better than biz class proper- on the a330! the J seats were angled flat, but you could lie flat across 4 economy class seats in the 2-4-2 configuration. that was always my preference where possible
I love it! The colour scheme looks so pretty and classy! Now we can sleep straight and that’s the most thing ever! No more diagonal sleeping position is such a plus for me! Assuming the solo bulk head A/F seats are placed closer to the aisle will make all business class seats more equal! You want more leg room, you sit closer to the aisle! Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!