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Singapore Airlines B787-9 To Be 2-Class (Business Class and Economy Class)

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  • Singapore Airlines B787-9 To Be 2-Class (Business Class and Economy Class)

    Singapore Airlines Limited has announced via inference that its Boeing 787-9 aircraft will be in a two-class configuration.


    The B787s will potentially be deployed in short and medium haul destinations of up to 8 hours flight time. Approximately 1/3 of the B787's flights will be night deployments while 2/3 of the flights will be day deployments.

    In a tender to design firms for the Boeing 787-9 Business Class interior, the Airline said:"SIA is seeking the design and development of the Business Class cabin of its B787 aircraft, particularly the passenger seats in an efficient cabin layout."

    "SIA’s B787s must offer compelling reasons for customers to choose SIA for traveling on the short to medium haul routes, particularly in the Business Class cabin. The cabin must offer customers a new air travel experience with vastly improved comfort and the opportunity and convenience to pursue a number of activities in-flight."

    "Besides the possible differences between long haul and short/medium haul travel in terms of customer requirements, the planning of SIA’s B787 Business Class cabin involves the challenge of projecting customers’ needs of the future, as the aircraft is expected to operate for 10 – 12 years after commencement of operations in 2011/12."

    "It is key that the new aircraft interior must fulfill customers’ wishes, desires and dreams and offer customers more than their expectations."

    "Each concept must however consist of details on how the Business Class Cabin is to be transformed in setting a new standard in Short and Medium Haul air travel service and comfort."

    "The proposed designs must be new and never been shown or offered to any other parties."




    "Below are some of the key design challenges:
    • Retaining SIA’s current hallmark of providing Business class passengers the First Class luxury.
    • A dramatic breakthrough in space, features, ergonomics and cushion design that provide superior comfort and adaptability to the human body in both sitting and sleeping positions.
    • Providing an unprecedented level of intuitive convenience and choice over various functions and activities on board, plus easy access to the aisles.
    • Weight to be taken as one major consideration in the design of aircraft items.
    • Besides comfort, space and privacy, the design concepts should also take into consideration the reliability and maintainability of the final products when implemented."
    "Design firms that are shortlisted to proceed to the Design Concepts Phase will each be paid a sum of Singapore Dollar Fifty thousand (SGD50,000) for generation of their portfolio of design concepts."

    "Development and Implementation of Project by selected firm - February 2009 onwards"


    Last edited by Singapore_Air; 14 May 2008, 07:16 PM.

  • #2
    yet another 3-3-3 Y config. i'm looking forward to the A350 then. at least we still get 2-4-2

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    • #3
      Originally posted by kelvgoh View Post
      yet another 3-3-3 Y config. i'm looking forward to the A350 then. at least we still get 2-4-2
      If they can squeeze 3-3-3 in the 787's 5.49m cabin width, the A350XWB will most likely be 3-3-3 since it's slightly wider

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      • #4
        well i really hope not. one thing i really liked about the widebody airbuses (save for the 380) was that Y seating was 2-4-2. no gymnastics required to go to the toilet if one likes a window view.

        i agree its very subjective though. like how emirates 777s are 3-4-3 as opposed to SQ's 3-3-3

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        • #5
          Good to know that the 787-9s will be 2-cabin. This also means that the A330-300s will almost certainly get the Ultimo seats.

          Of course the 787-9s and A350-900s will be configured with 3-3-3 Economy cabins. That has been obvious since the order was placed. The A330-300s will be fitted with 2-4-2.

          This also indicates that the A330-300s will primarily serve short-haul flights -- probably under four hours in most cases and that the 787-9s will mostly serve flights over four hours.

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          • #6
            short to medium haul routes
            New generation ultimo seats? or new generation spacebeds?

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            • #7
              It seems to me a very open-ended RFP. As a non-industry person, I'm surprised that there are no guidelines or stated targets on space utilisation or expected capacity.

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              • #8
                i was thinking about it on my ride back home earlier. is a 2-5-2 configuration workable at all for the 787 / 350?

                I think i've seen MH 777s configured in 2-5-2. (it was a few years ago so I can't confirm)

                i've thought of a few arguments in favour of a 2-5-2. thoughts anyone?

                1) a lot of people people travel in pairs or in 4s, and a 3-3-3 configuration makes it very difficult to sit together.

                2) also, in a 2-5-2 config, based on the seatmap above, only about 25 passengers will have to cross more than 1 seat to get to an aisle, whereas in a 3-3-3, 50 passengers have to cross two seats, and inconvenience another 100 passengers (assuming the flight is full)

                3) based on the scenario above, the Y class cabin would have to be more than approx 85% full for any pax to have to involuntarily have to cross two seats in a 2-5-2, assuming you seat pax in a way that leaves the middle seat empty.


                obviously i've not considered any technical arguments (e.g. not possible to put five reading lights in the centre block or overhead luggage buckets might need to be redesigned) but i'm just thinking in terms of comfort and practicality (from the traveller's perspective)
                Last edited by kelvgoh; 15 May 2008, 12:40 AM.

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                • #9
                  It seems that most airlines are going with 9 across seating which is going to leave a seat width of around 17 inches. Unfortunately that's less than you currently get in either the 777 or the A330 and in line with the uncomfortable seats on a 747.

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                  • #10
                    I don't see the 787-9s being fitted with either Ultimos or SpaceBeds.

                    2-5-2 is possible for the 787 and A350. There are many advantages and disadvantages. For example, most IFE units serve three seats. That means that a 3-3-3 configuration needs three IFE units per row, while a 2-5-2 configuration needs four IFE units per row.

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                    • #11
                      whats in the middle? Premium Economy?

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                      • #12
                        I heard somewhere that a 2-5-2 config makes the centre pax feels claustrophobic?

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by singaporeairlinesboi View Post
                          whats in the middle? Premium Economy?
                          The layout shown aft of door 2 is just the Boeing standard example seating. It has nothing to do with what SQ may or may not install. There is no chance of SQ installing Premium Economy on the 787s.

                          Originally posted by SINFJ View Post
                          I heard somewhere that a 2-5-2 config makes the centre pax feels claustrophobic?
                          Then let's hope that SQ never reconfigure their WhaleJets with 3-5-3. ... Or 3-6-3

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                          • #14
                            Singapore_Air...where did you find this information? I would like to know more!

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by luftie View Post
                              Singapore_Air...where did you find this information? I would like to know more!

                              TENDER FOR THE SUPPLY OF

                              REFERENCE NO: TR 415
                              DESIGN OF BUSINESS CLASS CABIN FOR B787-9 AIRCRAFT
                              Closing Date: 26 June 2008 12 noon (Singapore time, GMT +8)


                              Invitation Letter - TR 415
                              Annex A - Terms and Conditions - TR 415
                              Annex B - Project Next Design Brief - TR 415
                              Annex C - IPT Declaration Form And Vendor Profile - TR 415

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