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SINGAPORE – Singapore Airlines has said that it plans to introduce revamped seats and cabin interiors with upgraded in-flight entertainment in a bid to stay ahead of Asian and Middle East rivals in the premium travel market.
SIA is regarded as a trendsetter in aviation and is famous for its cabin service; but rivals like Cathay Pacific in Asia and Etihad, Emirates and Gulf Air from the Middle East have been closing the gap while offering lower fares.
SIA said on Tuesday, August 14, that it has hired BMW Group subsidiary DesignworksUSA and James Park Associates, two renowned design companies, to develop the “next generation of inflight cabin products” slated to be introduced in 2013.
The changes will include revamped seats, redesigned cabins and upgraded entertainment platforms as new passenger planes from Boeing and Airbus begin arriving.
Focus will be on first class and business class, since they bring in bulk of the airline’s revenue; but SIA said it will not overlook its economy class which will have improved seats and headrest comfort.
New Boeing 777-300 ERs are expected to enter service in the second half of next year, followed by Airbus A350s and Boeing 787s, the airline said.
It added that its current fleet — that includes Airbus A380 superjumbos — can also be retrofitted with the new designs.
“In this business, if you are staying still, you are moving backwards — your competitors can catch up quickly,” said Tan Pee Teck, SIA’s senior vice president for products and services.
“It is therefore important to always be planning for the future.”
Analysts say that the airline is being “squeezed in” by full-service carriers’ first and business class sections and low cost airlines’ economy class.
“Relatively speaking, Singapore Airlines is losing its competitive edge in premium Asia travel not because it’s a bad airline, but because the others — like Emirates — are becoming so good,” said Jonathan Galaviz, managing director of Galaviz & Co which follows the global airline and tourism sector.
SIA’s net profit in the year to March 2012 slumped 69% to Sg$336 million (US$269-M) after a rare loss in the fiscal 4th-quarter due to high oil prices and rising competition. – Agence France-Presse
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