Premium economy is a cabin that has become increasingly popular in recent years, for those looking to fly in comfort without paying business class prices. Singapore Airlines introduced premium economy back in 2015, and has just announced plans to overhaul the premium economy experience for the first time since then.
In this post:
Singapore Airlines updates premium economy soft product
Singapore Airlines isn’t introducing new premium economy seats (at least until the Boeing 777-9s arrive), but rather the airline is overhauling the premium economy soft product. This includes an improved and expanded selection of food and drinks, new amenity kits, and more. You can expect these changes to go into effect for flights as of March 31, 2024.
Here’s how Singapore Airlines’ SVP of Customer Experience, Yeoh Phee Teik, describes these changes:
“Since its introduction in 2015, Premium Economy Class has become popular with our customers. They appreciate the added amenities, heightened comfort, and the extra personal space it offers, all at an excellent value.”
“At Singapore Airlines, though, our philosophy is to never stand still. We regularly gather customer feedback and conduct market research, learn more about the evolving value drivers for travellers, and find innovative ways to continue delivering a personalised and world-class in-flight experience.”
“Based on these insights, we have undertaken this comprehensive revamp of our Premium Economy Class in-flight offerings, which we believe will delight our customers. The result reflects Singapore Airlines’ dedication to enhancing the Premium Economy Class experience to a class of its own.”
Let’s go over the details of what’s changing…
New premium economy dining & drinks
Singapore Airlines premium economy passengers can look forward to several improvements to the dining experience:
- 200 new appetizers, main courses, and desserts, designed specifically for premium economy
- An upgraded presentation of meals, as they’ll be served in “contemporary stoneware glazed porcelain serviceware,” and will be presented on linen-lined trays, along with tucked silverware
- Upgraded wine options, complementing existing drinks; expect new options, like 2023 Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc and 2022 St Hallett Faith Shiraz
- Shortly after takeoff, passengers will be offered a glass of Charles de Cazanove Brut Tradition NV champagne
- Non-alcoholic drinks are being upgraded to include hot chocolate from Cadbury, as well as peppermint and chamomile teas
- Improved bread options in premium economy, with the addition of croissants for breakfast, and garlic bread rolls for lunch, dinner, and supper
- Meals will be accompanied by a small bar of chocolate, as well as upgraded cheese and crackers
- Snacks between meals will be upgraded, and will include things such as almonds and cashews, in addition to existing options, which include potato chips, buns, sandwiches, muffins, and popcorn
Here’s a small sampling of some of the 200 new dishes being introduced:
- New appetizers include garlic roasted prawns with smoked aioli and patatas bravas, broccoli salad with hot smoked salmon, and seasonal variations of Japanese cold noodles with soba sauce
- New main courses will include beef bourguignon served with bacon, mushrooms, vegetables, and potato gratin, bak chor mee (minced pork noodles), and Thai-style crab curry served with a combination of jasmine rice and brown rice, and seasonal vegetables with egg
- New desserts will include chocolate feuilletine cake, mascarpone cream cake, and apple crumble cheesecake
New premium economy amenity kits
Singapore Airlines is introducing amenity kits in premium economy, in partnership with Out of the Woods. The pouch is made from an eco-friendly fabric, and includes eyeshades. slippers, and lip balm. As before, dental kits and moisturizer will continue to be available in the lavatory.
Amenity kits will be available on flights of seven hours or longer, and will be available on request (so you won’t necessarily be handed them automatically).
Bottom line
Singapore Airlines is improving the premium economy soft product, with the introduction of amenity kits, as well as an overhauled food and beverage service. While a lot of these changes are minor individually, I think they add up to a material upgrade.
In premium economy you can now expect amenity kits, improved wine and non-alcoholic drinks, more dining options with a more elegant display, and new meal options.
What do you make of these Singapore Airlines premium economy changes?
I think you should review more premium economy flights. I think that there is a big difference between the experience on various premium economy hard and soft products. There is also on some airlines a "premium select" which is a special class between premium economy and business.
What I have never understood: Why are there always just sooo few rows of PE in any aicraft?
PE makes so much sense - I am 192cm, so I am the target audience for the legroom. The seats are wider, more private and and and.
We all get that. But why are there airplanes with 16 rows of Busines Class, but (at least to my knowledge) none with at least a dozen rows? I have never understood this.
*"at least a dozen rows of Premium Economy?"
Many many thanks for the newsletter i like your post very much. It is good to know Singapore Airlines improves Premium Economy which includes dining drinks and amenity kits. Very much touched about Singapore Airlines conduct market based research travellers feedback regularly evolving in the process of innovation through services they offered and the passengers enjoy the world class inflight experience. I am thankful to the Singapore Airlines get the opportunity to express my thoughts...
Many many thanks for the newsletter i like your post very much. It is good to know Singapore Airlines improves Premium Economy which includes dining drinks and amenity kits. Very much touched about Singapore Airlines conduct market based research travellers feedback regularly evolving in the process of innovation through services they offered and the passengers enjoy the world class inflight experience. I am thankful to the Singapore Airlines get the opportunity to express my thoughts from your reputable digital media platform.
Best Regards
Khurram
Really excited to see this and happy SQ is putting in the investment. As I flew SIN - EWR and back in December and Jan and was left disappointed. I wasn't expecting business class but for one of the best airlines in the world it was one of the worst premium economy products I have flown.
I guess it’s back to basics for Singapore Premium Economy. A single brand of sparking, shrimp as an appetizer and and amenity kit that has an eye mask, lip balm and slippers. Time will only tell if this approach works. The simplicity speaks to our humanity.
Pre covid i did 2 flights on Singapore Houston-Birmingham-Singapore-Manila. One was economy the other the Enhanced economy. At that time there was no difference between the 2. I was expecting more coffee and snack offers on those 2 long flights. I guess if i wanted something to drink i needed to walk to gally. Maybe business class is really as good as the awards say. But if it has economy in the wording for your...
Pre covid i did 2 flights on Singapore Houston-Birmingham-Singapore-Manila. One was economy the other the Enhanced economy. At that time there was no difference between the 2. I was expecting more coffee and snack offers on those 2 long flights. I guess if i wanted something to drink i needed to walk to gally. Maybe business class is really as good as the awards say. But if it has economy in the wording for your seat i think other airlines are a better choice. Cheers.
I just flew EWR-SIN on premium economy and came away conflicted. On one hand the service from the crew was absolutely amazing (yes even SQ has some variability in this regard). The seat while comfortable, could have reclined a tad more or at least been designed more innovatively for sleep. My real gripe was actually with the soft product presentation. Yes they had champagne but mostly in plastic cups. The food & bev while decent,...
I just flew EWR-SIN on premium economy and came away conflicted. On one hand the service from the crew was absolutely amazing (yes even SQ has some variability in this regard). The seat while comfortable, could have reclined a tad more or at least been designed more innovatively for sleep. My real gripe was actually with the soft product presentation. Yes they had champagne but mostly in plastic cups. The food & bev while decent, presented exactly like a normal Y meal. Book the Cook is a nice option but the delivery falls short. SQ has award winning economy, business, and first class cabins.. Hilarious to hear that all the things which I was thinking made PY feel like the long forgotten/neglected cabin suddenly are being rectified. It's only been ~10 years and they are just now getting back to all the feedback Re: our premium economy is not compelling.
If a daytime flight and forced to choose between SQ's hard seat/bed in business or sit in premium economy, premium economy it is.
United's premium plus product is actually good from the beginning, domestic first style meal serve in China, slippers, amenity kits, it is actually SQ finally catching up, as SQ's premium economy is more like economy with a better seat with no extra !!!
I flew Qantas premium economy last month and was shocked to see two dine-on-demand hot snacks (pad thai and another vegan dish) between meal services, on top of the typical snack selection. Was hoping for something like this from Singapore Airlines!
I don't really understand how the product is being improved?
The meals seem more or less the same as they are already, albeit they are offering some new menus which change time to time anyway.
I am pretty sure champagne was offered last time I flew them too.
Still paper cups for coffee and plastic glasses for drinks.
So, IMHO a lot of marketing hype.
Agree. I care much more about the hard product (seat, space, etc) than the food options, which I might not even partake of anyway. This seems like a bunch of fluff to me, to help mask that their business class (already over 11-years-old) hard product and this economy seat, are fairly outdated. Which is getting to be a bit of a scam, seeing as this carrier often charges far more than its neighboring competitors, for...
Agree. I care much more about the hard product (seat, space, etc) than the food options, which I might not even partake of anyway. This seems like a bunch of fluff to me, to help mask that their business class (already over 11-years-old) hard product and this economy seat, are fairly outdated. Which is getting to be a bit of a scam, seeing as this carrier often charges far more than its neighboring competitors, for similar itineraries.
I guess it shows just how far "reputation" can take you, if it's a positive one.
I care much more about the hard product (seat, space, etc) than the food options, which I might not even partake of anyway. This seems like a bunch of fluff to me, to help mask that their business class (already over 11-years-old) hard product and this economy seat, are fairly outdated. Which is getting to be a bit of a scam, seeing as this carrier often charges far more than its neighboring competitors, for similar...
I care much more about the hard product (seat, space, etc) than the food options, which I might not even partake of anyway. This seems like a bunch of fluff to me, to help mask that their business class (already over 11-years-old) hard product and this economy seat, are fairly outdated. Which is getting to be a bit of a scam, seeing as this carrier often charges far more than its neighboring competitors, for similar itineraries.
I guess it shows just how far "reputation" can take you, if it's a positive one.
Hey United. Check this out!
United's premium plus product is actually good from the beginning, domestic first style meal serve in China, slippers, amenity kits, it is actually SQ finally catching up, as SQ's premium economy is more like economy with a better seat with no extra !!!
To each their own I guess. A lot of that looks better than the service in Polaris.
Presentation and serviceware can really affect the experience. Having wine in paper cups really dilutes the experience. A selection of breads from the breadbasket would be a nice touch.
In my opinion, I think NZ probably offers the best experience in Premium Economy.
Virgin Atlantic, particularly their old product 21 inches width so wider than many contemporary business seats. It feels closer to old business class, whereas BA feels like a better economy experience rather than close to business. Would like to try Singapore as haven’t flown on them for 15 years.
It really depends on how the airline wants to portray Premium Economy. It's a binary choice between "Economy Plus" or "Business "Lite"
But in my opinion, what you are paying for is the seat and added space.
Are you ever going to review a premium economy flight Ben? Everybody else does!
As long as he eshews Oneworld Emerald status and sits in the terminal, reviewing the effectiveness of the charging points at the gate.
Sorry but Lucky’s a business/first (and Spirit big front seat) reviewer only.
Ben refused to fly Zipair overseas even in “business” class! He reviewed one of if not their shortest flights from ICN. No chance he flies on a premium economy long haul flight