Singapore Airlines launches $2.26 billion cabin refit

Singapore Airlines said it will spend about S$2 billion (US$2.26 billion) to refurbish the cabins of its A350-900 fleet and the 31 Boeing 777-9 aircraft it has on order. The programme, first unveiled in 2024, now targets the first A350 refits in the first quarter of 2027 after the airline cited industry-wide supply-chain constraints and a delay in seat certification.

Senior Vice President of Customer Experience Yeoh Phee Teik told a press conference that the new seats have already been certified for the 777-9, but the aircraft itself has not yet received certification, and that the A350 seats are still undergoing the approval process. "You have to understand the intricacies of that; the seats on the A350 have not yet been certified. We are undergoing that process right now," he said.

Chief Commercial Officer Lee Lik Hsin said the 777-9 deliveries are expected in the second half of 2027 and that the airline is working closely with plane and seat manufacturers to meet the milestones.

The first-class cabin will feature a curved aisle, undulating walls and Poltrona Frau leather upholstery, with 80-inch-by-30-inch full-flat beds that can convert into a two-seat sofa. Designer Ben Rowan of PriestmanGoode explained that the curved aisle "unlocks more space for the passenger" and creates a more welcoming environment.

Business-class seats, designed by BMW Designworks and built by Recaro, will recline into 79-inch fully flat beds and include a drop-down meal tray. Premium-economy seats will add adjustable foot and leg rests, dedicated storage and a cocktail tray, while economy seats receive a revised recline mechanism and adjustable headrests.

Industry analysts note that the seat-design bottleneck is exacerbated by the limited number of qualified suppliers and the extensive safety testing required. "There aren’t that many seat suppliers, and it’s a rather labour-intensive operation," said Richard Aboulafia, managing director of AeroDynamic Advisory. He added that the certification process can involve up to 18 separate crash-test procedures, each costing up to €100,000.

Singapore Airlines hopes the upgraded cabins will reinforce its premium positioning as it seeks to capture higher-yield traffic on Europe-Asia routes, which saw a 25 percent rise in passenger numbers on Australia-Europe services in the second quarter of 2026, according to aviation data firm Cirium.