Over the years, we’ve seen airlines update their premium cabin seat assignment policies. Sometimes the idea is to save some seats for top tier elite members, while other times the idea is to monetize seat selection.
Along those lines, Singapore Airlines has just implemented a policy change, which strikes me as being rather un-Singapore Airlines (for an airline that’s known for being classily full service at all times).
In this post:
Singapore Airlines restricts business class seat assignments
The MileLion flags how as of June 2, 2026, Singapore Airlines has implemented a new seat assignment policy in business class. Singapore Airlines has updated its advanced seat selection page. It used to read as follows:
You’ll enjoy complimentary seat selection at any time.
While now it reads as follows:
Business Class seat selection depends on the fare type and membership status. Some fare types allow selection of any available seat, while others may be limited to certain seats at the time of booking.
Under the old policy, all business class passengers could select all seats in advance, with the exception of the special bulkhead seats, which were restricted to elite members, and could be selected by others within 96 hours of departure.
Under the new policy, those booking Singapore Airlines’ two most expensive business class fare bundles, Flexi and Standard, as well as those booking the rule buster Access award fares, continue to get access to the same seats. Meanwhile those who book Business Lite fares, as well as Saver or Advantage award fares, can only choose from a subset of seats. However, PPS Club members continue to be able to select from all seats, regardless of fare.
For what it’s worth, this policy applies for all seat selections as of June 2, regardless of when the ticket was issued. Already assigned seats will of course be honored.
The good news is that all business class seat blocks are removed 96 hours before departure, so at that point, passengers can select from any remaining seats.
How extreme are Singapore Airlines’ seat restrictions?
This isn’t the first time that we’ve seen an airline add restrictions on business class seat assignments, though I don’t recall ever seeing this exact method for business class. The idea here is simple — those who are subject to seat assignment restrictions can only select seats in the back of the cabin, at least in advance.
We’re not just talking a few rows in the front being blocked off, but instead, half or more of the cabin. For example:
- On the Airbus A350-900ULR, the first nine of 17 rows are blocked
- On the Airbus A380, the first 11 of 17 rows are blocked
- On the Boeing 777-300ER, the first six of 12 rows are blocked
- On the Boeing 787-10, the first five of nine rows are blocked
One wonders if this is purely a play to try to get people to buy up to more expensive fares over time, or if this is the first step in monetizing business class seat assignments, and letting people pay extra to sit further in front.
Fortunately my business class preference is typically to sit in the very last row, so I’m not terribly impacted by this. Or wait, maybe I am, since those seats are now more likely to be occupied. 😉
Bottom line
Singapore Airlines has quietly implemented new seating restrictions, whereby those on the cheapest business class fares (whether paying with cash or points) can only assign seats in the back of the cabin in advance. On all wide body aircraft types, half or more of the seats are blocked off.
The good news is that within 96 hours of departure, all passengers can continue to select any seat. I can’t help but find this to be a rather unusual way to go about adding business class seat assignment restrictions, but at least there’s not a monetization element to it… yet.
What do you make of Singapore Airlines’ new business class seat restrictions?
Don't feel good about it.
If possible, avoid Singaporean Airlines.
Ultimately I couldn't care less. I'll always go for the cheapest fare in Business. As long as I have a window seat. i don't really care what part of the cabin I sit in. Food and drink will be the same as well the seat.
Expected this sort of behaviour from airlines like The Worlds ex favourite but not from what I thought was numero uni!
DISAPPOINTED WITH SQ PLAYING AROUND PASSENGER'S OPTIONS JUST TO MAKE AN EXTRA BUCK.
Another reason to avoid the overrated SQ
Singapore Style lah! Let it be. I wonder what would be the situation if a couple booking get separate seats? Innovation? The management team must have done their study and found this super solution for her Biz class passengers...
I've switched to china eastern half the fare same plane was disappointed with food on my last singapore flight they will always get the block booking seats bought by returning company employees wont work on a lot of other airlines
I flew long-distance business class on all airlines from LAX to various Asian countries. Air Singapore was only better than Asianna Air but similar to the rest. I prefer Cathay Pacific.
Someone's pretty mad at the fact that frequent flyers are disappointed by this nonsense change.
one good reason to avoid SQ from now on, good job SQ !
Good idea Macaron, let’s all cut off our noses to spite our faces …. :)
Tacky. A terrible look for SQ!
Too bad that a lot of us like to sit towards the back of Business, so this is a fail! It will impact the "look at me crowd". and those who like to feel important. Recently, on every business class flight, you had the tacky bunch in their "BAaLenciaga" standing up until push back, conducting their ever-so-important conversations, "look at me". I prefer to sit far away from that nonsense. So yes, SQ, keep those vamps at the front.
Spot on Jordan
@Jordan haha. That reminds me of this family of three back in the day of Virgin America in first class. Unfortunately, I had an aisle seat next to one of them. Exactly like what Jordan said: they had all of this glam on during the boarding with their LVs and wearing sunglasses on the airplanes. Like seriously? Thinking they were some kind of VIPs on a Virgin America flight. It was still domestic first class. Wondering how much of those glam were cheap knockoffs.
One does not have to suffer that sort in an A380 F Suite, thankfully Jordan.
Not much you can do unless you either buy up or choose another airline based on principle. A lot of airlines are going this route. LH is not much better at all either. They are all trying to make more money so they cater to those who can afford. It’s All About The Benjamins.
Oh, boo hoo. If you have a choice between the last row of biz and the first row of economy, it'll be the last row of biz every time. It's hardly surprising that any airline would give highest priority to its own most profitable customers over those on flying on discount tickets, points redemptions or holding status with alliance partners.
PeteAU, gets it folks …. :-)
Pay the price or take whatever is left …. easy choice …. Yes?
Dear me, I now have to pay for something I got for free from my credit card spend? I now have to spend some money on the actual airline?
Rob, gets it too folks …. :-)
Dumb....and I am glad we have the 24 cancellation option because I have cancelled tickets in the past if I didn't like my seat choices and I would do it again in a heartbeat. If I can't sit with my husband for 15 hours I'm not paying for business class tickets to Asia.
Not ideal, but I don't really care as long as I get a flat bed. BA's "theoretical seating" algorithm blocks best seats for elites, LH group airlines block throne and other seats...
There is a major difference between past changes and what we are seeing now. On a quick read, I couldn't find any mention of Star Alliance Gold. A few years ago, any programmatic shift would explicitly address what happens to *G members.
You can't even blame SQ for this; it’s just another falling domino. If I recall correctly, the opening salvo was fired when UA shifted fare code I availability to IN, essentially reducing partner...
There is a major difference between past changes and what we are seeing now. On a quick read, I couldn't find any mention of Star Alliance Gold. A few years ago, any programmatic shift would explicitly address what happens to *G members.
You can't even blame SQ for this; it’s just another falling domino. If I recall correctly, the opening salvo was fired when UA shifted fare code I availability to IN, essentially reducing partner availability to near zero. That triggered a cascading impact: ANA stopped its Round-The-World awards, BR stopped releasing partner space, and now we've reached a point where airlines barely seem to care about Star Gold status. While this is just my own conjecture, there’s likely some truth to it.
Honestly, aside from oneworld, it feels like all the other global alliances are looking incredibly shaky right now.
I prefer row 18 over 14 (next to Galley)..
Like most things, Singapore Airlines has deteriorated post-Covid.
Nah, it was much terrible and overrated way before Covid.
People just realized it too late.
Are you trying to wind me up Eskimo?
You know only too well that I rate SQ and find it an excellent mount for a canter to SIN. Actually, AF’s LP is rather tasty too, but I would always choose SQ for the gallop home.
As for Singapore itself, a magic place don’t you know!
SQ’s A380 Suits take some beating don’t you know?
Dumb policy. Maybe if they actually have some Saver Awards ever open, that would be nice.
Saver Awards are open on almost every route if you book at the window.
Good to know
Overrated airline and overrated airport.
The airline is no not significantly better than its regional competitors. In many ways, it's worse.
Maybe you’ve had bad experiences with SQ, but that must be on you. Usually, they are absolutely premium.
I agree the airport is overrated!! I love Singapore but never got the hype around the airport. Maybe I haven't been in the right terminal.
The airport was vastly better organised than others in the 1980s (short queues at immigration), and I think that halo effect is still ongoing.
SQ and SIN are way overrated.
It's about time people gives it the inferior recognition it deserves.
SQ food is also overrated , including stinky fish gruel . Almost as bad a stinky cheese in AF .
It must be hard having to suffer SQ and AF when you are only used to the likes of the lowly Delta Airlines, etc.
Yes, A Lert? …. :-)
Oh, were you treated badly? That has certainly never happened to me!
I've been treated badly, basically verbally abused, by the SQ lounge dragon at LHR for daring to ask her to print me a COVID test result when, horror of horrors, I had entered the lounge as a *G flying in business class on another *A member. I've also had lounge dragons at SIN being completely unable to update me on the boarding status of my flight, again because it was being operated by another *A...
I've been treated badly, basically verbally abused, by the SQ lounge dragon at LHR for daring to ask her to print me a COVID test result when, horror of horrors, I had entered the lounge as a *G flying in business class on another *A member. I've also had lounge dragons at SIN being completely unable to update me on the boarding status of my flight, again because it was being operated by another *A member. I haven't flown the airline in a very long time, but those experiences are making me less keen to try.
Good I more vacancy for us.
Pearl clutching- in ~300 flights on SQ, the business class section was less than half full 90% of the time. There will be plenty of seats to pick from 96 hours out.
Depends on the route. IST-SIN has decent amount of unassigned seats at 96 hours. SIN-JFK nonstop was completely full.
Also not to mention Krisflyer Gold’s (and other *G) are regulated to the same cheap rear seats. SQ might treat mid tier elites worse than any other airlines (worse lounge at changi, being lumped in with PY instead of J, etc), and there is literally zero reason to get *G if you’re flying business with SQ.
Yup - I'm one of those unfortunately.
Based in SG and for flights under 8 hours, company doesn't allow J.
Intercontinentals are not with SQ on J due to cost ex SG.
The only benefit with having KF G is lounge access and priorty.
Will change to another *A program - any recommendations?
Aeroplan, no mile expiry issues
@TheEdz1 , you have to check the booking class letters corresponding to your flight patterns. Cheap business class on LH and ET often yields nothing on most partner programmes, and the same is true of lots of economy fares within Asia. You could be flying *A all 365 days in a year and still not get any status at the end of it.
Eventually people are going to get fed up with being bled dry for every damn thing if they push it too far.
On a macro-level, 100%. Rise up. Especially in the US, vote in about 151 days. Time for change and accountability.
With airlines in-general, and SQ in-particular, I can live with being in back of the business class cabin, so long as I can still pick a seat there (aisle vs window, etc.)
@1990 - you have to insert your liberal political views into everything don't you. Trust me the country isn't ready for your type of views and we will react. Capitalism and individualism made this country great and will again. We don't need nanny states and handouts to underachievers.
So don’t read him. I don’t. Just like a half dozen of Ben’s other most obnoxious commenters. They’re horrible. You know it, Ben knows it, and they know it. Also allows me to get through OMAAT in half the time.
That’s also why I prefer American Airlines. It’s much less likely they’ll be sitting next to me.
Retired in your username being a reflection of your age?
If that assumption is correct then the boomer comment tracks.
Coming from a proud centrist before you start calling me a lib.
It would be a pain point if it were still convenient to book their premium seats via points. The scarcity of supply is so ridiculous these days its kind of moot what they do to punish people that manage to snare one.
SQ offers way more seats to Asia than competitors if you book at the window. I got 4 seats on SEA-SIN-BKK, departing in less than two weeks. Booked in June 2025!
Still beats the tons of other airlines like Qatar and Finnair that charge for ANY seat?
For real. If Finnair fails, you may get stranded… in HEL!
never gets old
RPC, one of my favs. And, believe it or not, it literally happened to me once...