This is ridiculously cool… if only I lived in Singapore.
KrisShop selling old business class seats
Singapore Airlines sells a variety of products through its KrisShop website, and one new item that has just been added will surely interest avgeeks. Singapore Airlines is now selling refurbished business class seats direct to consumers.
The “bones” are the same as they were on the plane, though the finishes are a bit different:
- This is a refinished version of Singapore Airlines’ business class seat that was introduced back in 2006
- The seat is upholstered with new leather, and the sides are handcrafted and feature a different design than you’d find onboard
- You can have the seat customized based on your preferred leather and bone in-lay, and that customization will take 16-20 weeks
- Each seat has a placard sharing the exact aircraft (including registration) on which the seat was installed, and how many flying hours the seat was in service for
This seat costs 6,000 SGD (~$4,410), though the catch is that it can only be shipped to Singapore. Given the bulkiness of the product (and the weight of 105kg), I imagine shipping it elsewhere in the world on your own would add a significant amount to the cost.
It’s so cool to see the way in which Singapore Airlines is working to repurpose these seats and give them new life, so they can be enjoyed for years to come. This isn’t the first time the airline has done something like this — just recently Singapore Airlines had a collaboration whereby life vests and seatbelts were reused for items like coasters, mobile phone bags, and more.
What would one actually use these chairs for?
Over the years we’ve seen quite a few airline seats be resold after there’s no longer a need for them. I’ve always been intrigued by this, but I’ve also wondered what one would practically do with these, both in terms of design and use:
- Would you plop this down in the middle of your living room, next to a couch? Would you actually sit in it?
- Or would you put this somewhere as a display item, and not actually use it?
Do any OMAAT readers own any old airplane seats that they’ve place in their home? If so, what do you do with it?
Bottom line
Singapore Airlines is selling former business class seats, which first entered service in 2006. While Singapore Airlines isn’t the first airline to sell old business class seats, what’s unique here is the extent to which the seats are being refurbished. What stunning seats!
I’m almost happy that these are only available in Singapore, or else I may be really tempted to try to pick one of these up.
Could you ever see yourself furnishing your home with airplane seats?
(Tip of the hat to David)
how was it possible to ruin such nice original design and colours by making them so vulgar and tacky. the best would have been to sell them as they are. how sad !
I used to have a row of 3 DC-9 seats. I saw them for sale close to the museum at the airport in Columbus, Ohio (which has since closed). I tied it to the roof of the car and drove hundreds of miles home.
The bottom was somewhat sharp and would have scratched the wooden floor so I put a few layers of cardboard under it. It was in the living room and use as...
I used to have a row of 3 DC-9 seats. I saw them for sale close to the museum at the airport in Columbus, Ohio (which has since closed). I tied it to the roof of the car and drove hundreds of miles home.
The bottom was somewhat sharp and would have scratched the wooden floor so I put a few layers of cardboard under it. It was in the living room and use as a sofa. The cloth was a bit worn. I had to give it away after I finished school and moved. I used it for about 3 years.
Ben, you could buy them in Singapore, have them shipped to the USA, and use them in your new cool FREQUENT FLYER restaurant that serves FIRST CLASS cuisine with an international flair.
Is it just me, or does anyone else think the re-upholstered seat and those botanic patterns look horrible? I would have preferred the original seat as it is...
I agree. Tacky comes to mind.
Ben: you need to check out this video about Perry de Vlugt (Delta FA and collector extraordinaire) to see what you can do with airline seats.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QC9hrDUTSuQ
I have an immaculate pair of seats from BA Concorde back home in the UK (in secure storage, not used), and a pair of Delta first class seats out of an MD80 (with the latest DL upholstery) in my kitchen/diner at home, that we actively use on a day to day basis in place of a bench seat besides a glass table. They are accompanied by a fully stocked Cart
Hi Lucky. I think I went a step further than just the seats. I’ve rebuilt/recreated the first class cabin of a CX 747 at home complete with the galleys and lavs. One can enter through the operable L1 door. The fuselage shows as it would appear entering a jetway.
@ Juan ignacio Ramos -- WHAT?!?! AND I HAVEN'T BEEN INVITED?
Hi Ben. Is there a way I can send you pictures?
We now have a benchmark for what it takes to get a home visit from Ben :)
You could upload it to imgur.com and paste the link here so that we could all see haha
Here’s the link to my boarding lounge and recreated first class cabin from CX 744 B-HUI https://imgur.com/user/clipperairways747
I tried viewing the link you posted but it didn't work, says there are no posts under the user. Would love to ser what you have built, so cool!
Try this now…
https://imgur.com/gallery/TLNP9uF
£150 for 3 on eBay. But that’s economy…….
Like I said in the last post, SIA is not doing fans any favor, just pure greed.
SIA can just sell the 'retired' seat as it is. I'll gladly buy these at cost, which is much less than 6000 SGD. I'd rather collect the original stuff than the useless by product.
If you're going to refurbish it for an easy cash grab, do it to the original. You don't see people repaint Andy Warhol's soup can to the latest design because the soups he painted expired in the late 60s.
Agreed this is cool. BUT, I think you can pick up an old seat in the USA on ebay and find someone to restore it if you want to match this idea. Prob way cheaper than $4k.
My office chair is an airline seat
https://imgur.com/a/Z7BkY1T
So next time if your employers force you to fly 8 hours in coach, don't complain.
How did your managed to arm the base of an airplane chair to a set of office chair wheels?
I always thought using these in a home entertainment/movie room would be cool (alas, I don't have such a dedicated room). You could even set them up in rows and everyone could watch movies on the seatback monitor :).