The new SQ cabin classes - Discussion & speculation thread

[yflyer]

The new Economy Class seats are a Recaro design, which look quite different from both SQ 2006 Y and SQ 2013 Y.



These seats look a little more lightweight than existing Y seats...



...but are still very well padded, with a wide seat base.

These are comfortable, long haul seats with good cushioning and support.

In terms of seat comfort, I see this as an improvement over the 2006 Y seats which current A380's are fitted with.

Compared to the SQ 2013 Y seat, which is excellent, initial impressions are that they are comparable / similar.

Subjectively speaking, the 2013 Y seat still has more of that undefinable "premium" feel to it. The upholstery on the SQ 2013 Y seat seems a little more plush, and the seat frame a little more solid.

Compared to the previous SQ 2013 Y seat, the improvements in this 2017 Y product, where they exist, are very incremental, compared to the dramatic leaps forward in Suites and Business Class.

All that said, the new 2017 Y seat feels very comfortable to sit/relax in, and is a strong offering that can hold its own vs anything the competition offers.

Assuming seat pitch is accurate in the mock-up, pitch is fine as well, subjectively about similar to what it is right now...

[yflyer]

The seatback layout...



The dark tones are a departure from the light shades of current seat backs. I tend to agree with SQ747's earlier comment that, purely in aesthetic terms, the seat back looks quite cluttered compared to 2013 Y, and personally prefer the look of the seat back on 2013 Y.

IFE is now a capacitive-touch touchscreen (Similar to iPads and smartphones...you don't need to press hard to use the touchscreen). There is no handheld controller.

A side profile of the top of the seat, headrest, and IFE screen, which you can tilt outwards for a comfortable viewing angle if the seat ahead of you is reclined...



Seat width is good. From the photos, it was hard to tell if the seats were narrow, and some readers were worried that the seats would be similar to the cramped seats on some 10-abreast 77W's that other airlines operate.

But trying out the seats in real life, we were quite impressed with the seat width. And since the seat pockets contained a full complement of inflight magazines, here is a view of seat width measured with Krisworld Guides...



A wide seat...comparable to SQ's current A380 seat (Shown below)...



And just for reference, here is an SQ A350 seat (Also shown below...)...



Recline is very impressive as well...I would say similar to SQ 2013 Y...



The seat base moves forward slightly when reclined.



Having tried out the seat, my opinion is that I would be quite comfortable in it for a long haul flight, certainly SIN-SYD or SIN-LHR.



The arm rests go all the way up, so you'll have a fully flat sleeping surface across a 3-seater or 4-seater on lightly loaded flights...

[yflyer]

All seat controls are now on the seatback: IFE touchscreen, and lights / call button all there. There is nothing to inadvertantly press on the armrest.

There is a small compartment for a smartphone or spectacles...



...as well as USB, and a contactless reader for future payment applications (It probably doesn't do anything right now)...



Cup holder and foldable tray table with mirror...





Retractable footrest...



...with straight paddles, rather than the curved ones, which my feet tended to slip off.



Opinions are divided over these footrests. "Does anyone use them?"...another visitor asked the SQ staff member at the display..."I do!" I chipped in...I personally find the Y footrests very useful, and always use them when trying to sleep on red-eyes in Y.

I could not locate an A/C socket...maybe they weren't installed on the mock-up, or I did not look hard enough. [Update: There is an an A/C socket. I just learnt from an acquaintance that the Y seats do have A/C sockets, just not in a very obvious location.]

The IFE has a new MyKrisworld that you log into using your KF account number -- it remembers shows you watched, favourites etc, as well as what you were watching halfway. If you don't finish a movie on one flight, the system remembers, so you can resume on your next sector!



A much discussed feature on SQTalk...



Airshow gets navigation data directly from aircraft systems, so no data was available...



Overall, I liked what I saw...this is an evolutionary step beyond what is already an outstanding Y seat.



Thumbs up for the new SQ A380 Economy Class!

[Pinkfloyd]

Cheers for uploading yflyer! I hope the padding in Y is comfortable enough for Long haul flights as I find the current ones a bit uncomfortable (missing the old Y seats that hey use to have in the 744’s)...

[yflyer]

Premium Economy (PEY) is essentially unchanged from the current version on the A380 and 77WR (Note that the A350 has a different PEY seat frame from the A380 and 77WR). Just a few minor updates to the IFE controls.





The main difference in PEY on the new A380's is a smaller IFE control handset, and contactless payment reader.





The location of the PEY cabin, right in front of the main deck, is also a nice change.

They had a selection of BTC meals for PEY on display. When I asked about the PEY BTC meals, the SQ staff member there said that they would look at what was available in the J BTC menu, and see what was feasible in terms of a PEY equivalent.





Since PEY meals are otherwise similar to Y meals, I would definitely want to book a BTC PEY meal when travelling PEY.

Apparently the BTC PEY Nasi Lemak is a passenger favourite...

[yflyer]

We moved on to Business Class...

The centerpiece of the Business Class display was the bulkhead pair of middle J seats, which are now fully differentiated from the other J seats in the cabin, as they can extend into fully flat beds, and can form a double bed. I would want to know more about the design rationale for the black leather protrusion in the middle towards the base of the bed, though.



While these bulkhead seats had good legroom, and would be ideal for tall passengers, I was personally more interested in how the regular J seats would stack up...in particular, how large the footwell was, and how the recline worked.

A first look at the new non-bulkhead J seats. First impressions were very positive. Looking at them in real life, I found this to be a nicer design than both 2006 J and 2013 J: Finer and more elegant.

[KeithMEL]

Great pics. I was admittedly not all that whelmed with the new Suites when I saw the leaks & PR shots. Nice but didn't exactly wow (playing catch up to EY was my initial reaction). But the more contextual pics taken by journalists and assorted bloggers look way better, with greater depth of field to illustrate the space per pax on offer. Can't wait to try it for ourselves in a few months.

[yflyer]

The seat design has a very slim carbon fiber shell, and the interior of the shell has a very elegant design.

There is ample side shelf space to put things like phones, books, drinks...



There are dual vanity mirror in the side of the shell...



As well as small open and enclosed cubby holes.



Another cover opens to reveal USB, universal A/C socket and wireless payment reader.



There are also small retractable armrests (Will anyone ever use those, I wonder?)...

[SQfanatic]

The way you're pointing out Y class now, it doesn't look as bad as you've explained it.

Now, as far as Y class, could I safely assume it's like CX's current 77W Y seats: No touch-remote with a bulkhead version of the airshow and if one had to ask an attendant for assistance these would all have to be controlled by the touchscreen correct?

Anyway, great pictures. Thanks again!'

[yflyer]

The foldout tray table is also a new foldable design, unlike the one-piece design in both 2006 and 2013 J.

As the picture shows, you can dine in both bed mode and sitting mode...



The seat controls are along the side of the console, as well as a button you push to extend the table.



A push of the button enables the table to slide out of the side console, a less cumbersome exercise than pulling up the large tray table of the previous J seat.



You can use it folded...



...or fully unfolded for work or meals...

[yflyer]

I moved from the bulkhead seat to the regular non-bulkhead seats...

This seat goes from upright to recliner, and fully flat, at the push of a button. The days of getting up to flip the bed are over!

This is the seat partially reclined...



...and fully flat.



And as mentioned, all this happens automatically with motorized seat controls, while the passenger remains seated. This was probably the number one issue that some passengers had with the seat -- having to get up to flip over to bed mode. I've never had a problem getting up to flip the bed, but apparently many people didn't like the hassle of flipping the seat, so this fully automated recline is going to be welcomed by many pax. Kudos to the engineers that accomplished this feat!

As for the alignment of the foot cubby hole, there is a separate slide out panel that fills the gap between the seat and the cubby hole, giving you a proper fully flat surface.



This means that for all intents and purposes, you get a person-sized fully flat sleeping length, without having to curl up. And for side sleepers, there is sufficient width for you to do that too.



I am 1.66m tall, and when I lay down fully flat...I had about 20cm additional headroom.

The cubby hole for feet...



There looks to be enough height in the cubby hole for at least a proportion of the population to lie with feet up. For reference, the shoes in the pic below are US size 8 1/2.



I spent several minutes in the seat both sleeping and lying down...I found the surface itself to be quite soft and comfortable, and in terms of space, about equivalent to existing J seats on the A380 (And 77WN).

There is a large partition between the middle J that can be raised or lowered.

With the partition raised, you have complete privacy...



A pic of the partition lowered below, on occasions you are travelling with a companion. The partition actually has an even lower setting, where it can retract right down to seat base level.



Overall, my initial impressions are that this is a superb seat, and a major improvement over SQ's current long haul J.

[yflyer]

There is revamped tableware for J...



Some of the J BTC options available...



A very appetizing selection of Asian/Ethnic dining options available...



Hanakoireki meal...one of the most popular meal options on flights to/from Japan.

[wdranne]

From what I see, I don't think it's possible to comfortably get out of the new J seat during the meal service anymore as the table is hinged on the aisle-side console now as compared to the existing J products which are hinged on the non-aisle-side + considering the degree of swing within the available pitch...

[yflyer]

And finally, Suites...

These are, for all intents and purposes fully enclosed rooms, with separate seat and bed.

A view of mock-ups of 1A and 2A, adjoining Suites with a partition between the Suites that can be lowered, so that the beds within form a double bed.



A view of the Suite with bed folded up. A very large, roomy space.



First impressions? I was blown away. These were much nicer in real life than many of the photos circulating.



With the bed stowed, you essentially have your own private space to work or play, in a space larger than SQ's existing Suites, and a world apart from Business Class.



The seat reclines to a very comfortable angle, and has a large thigh/calf rest as well.



Seat controls are in the armrest, with the swivel function also automated.



There are several padded side storage compartments, and a tablet-like control panel.

[yflyer]

9V-JKL and I headed over to the pair of suite mock-ups to check them out...



Apart from dining in the seat, there is the option of breakfast in bed...



Overall, the impression was of spaciousness and privacy...with more in common with a cabin on a ship, or a private jet.





I have never flown SQ Suites myself so I will let others who spend more time in the front cabins share their opinions and impressions, but from what I saw, sat and lay down in during the event, my impression is that this is an outstanding product that puts almost all other airlines' F offerings in the shade.