Singapore Airlines ‘New’ Premium Economy on the A380

It’s Business Lite, right?

I always want to believe that Premium Economy is a kind of Business lite – sort of half the service, and a seat like the old-fashioned business before flatbeds.

Of course, this is just a fantasy. Premium Economy is almost like what Economy used to be before deregulation and the advent of low-cost airlines.

Well, that’s certainly true of the seat width in the new premium economy cabin on the soon-to-be delivered A380’s. 19.5 inches is respectable, whereas 18 inches means that unless you are a very slim shouldered individual, you are going to leak over into one if not both seats. Or alternatively you have to interleave your shoulders like sardines in a tin, or if in the aisle seat get bashed every time a service trolly rolls down the aisle.

Now, I love a flatbed. There is nothing better than getting on those terrible red-eye flights back to Australia from Bali after a relaxing break, knowing that you can stretch out and sleep after a couple of bevies the whole 6 hours through to Sydney. But I don’t always have the points or cash to afford that.

Layover instead of flatbed

On long-haul – say if I am heading from Sydney to London – then, you can arrange to do daytime flights, and have an overnight in your stopover destination in a nice hotel, and then adequately rested – catch another long flight the next day.

Doing that in economy is still unspeakable. But doing it in Premium Economy is quite pleasant. And I can’t think of a nicer place to break my journey than in Singapore.

Premium on the new A380

So what does the new Singapore Airlines Premium Economy promise for the new A380 cabins?

Premium Economy Class comes with a contemporary and stylish design. Each seat is 19.5 inches wide, with eight-inch recline and seat pitch of 38 inches. Customers will be treated to an enhanced in-flight entertainment experience with the provision of active noise-cancelling headphones and a sleek 13.3-inch full HD monitor.

This is sounding good. Noise canceling headphones in Premium – I’m impressed.

Other features include a full leather finishing, calf-rest and foot-bar for every seat, individual in-seat power supply, two USB ports, personal in-seat reading light, cocktail table, and more stowage space for personal items.

Not bad. That, joined with Singapore Airlines service – which I find good but impersonal, should make this an enviable product.

You will even get an amenity kit – which is just really some dental care products, and anti-slip socks. I call them basics, not an amenity kit.

The innovation I am least excited about personally is this:

KrisFlyer members travelling across all classes can also select their choice of playlists from the SingaporeAir mobile app prior to the flight, and transfer their selections to the onboard system when they connect to myKrisWorld to continue with their IFE experience.

All this will eventually be rolled out to the entire A380 fleet, and not just the next 5 newbie A380s.

To remind you, Singapore Airlines’ A380s currently serve Auckland, Beijing, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, London, Melbourne, Mumbai, New Delhi, New York, Paris, Shanghai, Sydney, and Zurich.

Premium pointy end

I’ve saved the best for last. The premium economy cabin is being moved from just behind First Suites on the lower deck – to the actual pointy end where the Suites used to be. That could be one nice cosy cabin.