Singapore Airlines new Premium Economy product

Singapore Airlines is finally on board with Premium Economy (PE). Come August the carrier will have fitted the first batch of aircraft with new seats. After that, the service will be “progressively introduced” on 19 A380s, 20 A350s and 19 Boeing 777ERs.

A prime sales point, of course, is the seat. By the numbers, here’s what you’ll get: eight inches of recline, 18.5 to 19.5 inches of width (depending on the aircraft), and 38-inches of seat pitch. The seats feature full leather finishing as well as calf-rests and foot-bars. 

Singapore’s route structure leans heavily on long hauls, and long-haul passengers eat up in-flight entertainment. Singapore’s video selection in PE will be served up via a 13.3-inch full high-definition monitor; the audio through noise-cancelling headphones.

If you’ve got to get down to work en route, each PE seat is fitted with a personal in-seat light, a pair of USB ports and a decent amount of personal stowage space.

As for food and beverage, Singapore says there will be “an extensive range” of it. You’ll be able to order what you want in advance via the airline’s Book the Cook set-up.

Like Germany’s Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines is a bit of a late convert to the Premium Economy game. It’s taken two years and about US$80 million for SQ (that’s Singapore Airlines’ code) to come up with what Mak Swee Wah, the carrier’s executive vice president commercial, labels a service that will “exceed [customer] expectations.”

Aside from comfort and some extra perks, the popularity of Premium Economy is pegged to price. If you want to do your body a favor, and can’t afford business or first class, this could be your seat. “We’re not going to lie,” says a recent report from Expedia and the Airlines Reporting Corporation, “[first and business class] seats are expensive.” On long-haul runs they can “hover around three-and-a-half times the economy price on the same route.”

That’s why you’ve seen Lufthansa and Singapore put money into PE. “Many of our customers have been asking for a Premium Economy offering,” says Mak Swee Wah.

Expect the first Premium Economy-fitted SQ flight to touch down in Sydney August 9 of this year. After that look for Singapore to introduce PE on flights to Beijing, Delhi, Hong Kong, Frankfurt, London, Mumbai, New York Shanghai, Tokyo and Zurich.