Singapore Airlines Cutting Size Of First Class Cabins In Half

If their Premimum Economy product is an actual PE product, and since their Biz Class is quite solid offering - I think customers will survive this change... Not like Lufthansa's PE offering which is nothing like what a PE offering should be and certainly not worth the money they charge.

Cant wait to see the PE offering they have - downside is they will be pushing for over double an Economy fare given they are taking out near enough double the seats.

Well if you take out 66 seats of 3-4-3 economy that is rows 31 to 37, you could fit in 4 rows of 2-4-2 and 4 bulkhead seats (AC HK) you get 36 seats. Expect 44 inches of pitch.

Sad to give this post a big thumbs down for the deceptive title. SQ are not cutting the size of First class cabins in half. They are cutting 77W first cabins in half. BIG difference!!!

Lucky, how does waitlisting work for SQ flights? If i transfer miles to SQ and waitlist for a flight (without any status) do I have a decent chance? I don't want those miles to just languish there forever if it doesn't clear... Any days of the week that would be better than others?

SQ's business class product is so amazing that, in my opinion, it's better than some other airlines' first class offerings! I'm quite ok with this change since I understand SQ still needs to bring in a profit.

Not as scary as the title suggests. However, with changes like this I worry about ripple effects. Does it create more demand for Suites, thus reducing availability (which is already not that great)?

Is it too much wishful thinking to believe that 4 F seats on the 77W will be two rows in a 1-1 configuration, ala EY First Apartments, rather than a single row of 1-2-1? 🙂

This is another reason why I like the A380 so much more than the damn 777.

This is pretty bad though, because at least in my experience, First/Suites was always easier to book on SQ than Business. Their business class is great, but if this means its going to be impossible to book on any premium SQ cabin except for A380's I'm going to be pretty sad.

Wishful thinking indeed:

@ Carlo -- Hah, based on the overall number of seats on the plane I'd say so, unfortunately.

Well, at least they aren't going 10-abreast in Economy like most other airlines who introduced Y+.

@ augias -- All depends on the route, seems to be all over the place if you clear or not, unfortunately. Typically when waitlists do clear it's within two or so weeks of departure.

Hmm interesting. On the A380, they are removing 66 EY seats. I originally expected that the PE would be put in the upper deck section of the A380 that currently has Economy, but that area has 88 economy seats... Sooooo, I guess that the PE will be located on the main deck? Probably just behind the Suites.

Also, the GDS shows the first flight will be SQ221 on 09 August.

@ Ashan -- Yep, guessing it will be on the main deck on both planes. That way they can keep a consistent configuration due to the cabin width difference between the lower and uppper deck.

A380 seat map:

@ Carlo - Where did you find this seat map?

Is F over J on SQ even worth it when you compare F on the 777 and J on the A380? The only main difference to me is Private Room access. The food looks essentially the same to me? What insight do you have on the differences are?

@ Daniel -- For miles I do think it's worth the premium, since the incremental cost difference is small. The service, amenities, food, champagne, etc., are all better.

Lucky, do you have any idea if these 777s that will only have 4 first class seats will have the new first class seats put in while being changed up?

@ Jim -- Yes, I believe they'll have the new first class.

Does anybody know if Singapore Airlines are flying PE from Barcelona to Singapore next March 2016 please. Unable to get anything specific from them.

@ Robert Mann -- I don't see it in the schedule to Barcelona as of now.

Hi lucky - thanks. No, nothing is coming up for PE on that route yet so seems I'll have to wait a bit.

Hey Ben,

I have an existing SQ first booking for two people between HKG and SFO for next April. Since SQ is cutting their 777ER first cabin by half, is there any risk of losing our booking due to a cabin downsize? How will SQ be integrating these new configurations into existing operations where bookings already exist?

Thanks!

@ Tyler -- Your ticket should be honored in the event that your flight is downgraded. I wouldn't be worried.

Has anybody actually flown First on the 4-class 777-300ER? I have a SIN->NRT rewards ticket on a December 2016 flight that was an A380 when I booked it but has now been changed to the 4-class 777. Obviously disappointed to lose my Suites flight but, since I'm a Suites veteran, equally curious to try the 4-class 1 row First cabin. Fortunately this is a day flight but I suspect the usual Suites/First perk of the crew making up a second seat as a bed so you effectively have a 2-room apartment is going to be rarer with the single row. That said, more than once I've been the only passenger in the 8-seat cabin and there are seldom more than 2 (so I too can quite see why SQ has done what it has done - you'd only take this First over Business for the much better wine list and/or if you like caviar).