Singapore Airlines to review new business class seat design after public criticism
Singapore Airlines said it will reassess the colour scheme and styling of its newly unveiled business class seats following negative feedback from passengers and staff.
Singapore Airlines announced a $2 billion overhaul of its long-haul cabins, including a completely new business class seat design. The colour scheme, featuring grey and yellow, prompted a strong reaction on social media, with some observers comparing it to the airline’s low-cost subsidiary Scoot.
"It’s giving Scoot yellow," said one social-media commentator.
The design, created by BMW Designworks, departs from the carrier’s traditional warm and earthy tones and adopts a more automotive-inspired aesthetic. Radha K, head of marketing for a Singapore-based tech firm, told the Sydney Morning Herald that the new look does not elevate the brand and suggests an identity issue.
"The new design doesn’t elevate the brand look … it makes Singapore Airlines look like they are having an identity crisis," she said.
In a town-hall meeting with staff, CEO Goh Choon Phong said the airline will review the feedback and consider refinements that could improve the customer experience.
"We will be reviewing the feedback and look at exploring any further refinements that would help enhance the customer’s experience," he said. "We’ll look at it, we’ll see what is feasible."
At the launch event, Vice President of Product Experience Ong Wah Li described the seat as a fresh, contemporary take on premium travel that reflects a modern, progressive design philosophy.
The airline said the new cabin products across all classes were developed using research involving more than 5,000 frequent travellers, customers, staff and industry experts worldwide. Critics also noted a lack of visual consistency between cabins, as first-class retains the previous warmer palette while the new business class adopts the grey-yellow scheme.
The updated cabins, including a first-class offering with the airline’s largest double bed, are scheduled to enter service in the second half of 2027 on retrofitted Airbus A350-900 long-haul and ultra-long-haul aircraft as well as the new Boeing 777-9 fleet.