The direction Singapore Airlines will take with its forthcoming premium economy seating has been kept a closely guarded secret.
But now it has emerged that the national carrier has no intention of introducing a midway product that would either encourage business class passengers to downgrade or would remove some of the perks enjoyed by those in economy.
SIA is due to launch its first ever premium economy seating in the second half of this year (see news, May 2014).
Quoted by Runway Girl Network (RGN), SIA CEO Goh Choon Pong confirmed that premium economy "is not about removing offerings in the economy cabin to make premium economy different".
The latter is important because SIA sets and, continues to set, the bar for economy class. The product is regularly voted the world's best, both in surveys conducted by Business Traveller and other consumer publications.
Not only is economy seating still configured 3-3-3 on SIA's large fleet of B777s (and surely SIA will not be foolish enough to go ten-abreast 3-4-3 as some rivals have done) but passengers are pampered with hot towels, better catering than most, cocktails and a ready supply of drinks.
To provide space for premium economy it is the economy, not the business cabin, will will see a reduction in seating.
To minimise downgrading from the business cabin one imagines SIA will introduce a standard product similar to that seen at rivals such as Cathay Pacific, Qantas, British Airways (the carrier's new product, not the original) or Lufthansa.
It would have been nice if SIA was to adopt the exceptional 2-2-2 seating seen on Air New Zealand’s B777-300ERs. But with SIA's business class configured 1-2-1, a layout of 2-2-2 in premium economy would be too close.
So, it's likely SIA will go 2-4-2 in premium economy with wider seating and around 38 inches of pitch.
CEO Goh Choon Pong said: "We have to progressively launch things."
Premium economy seating will initially appear on SIA's newer aircraft, like the A380 and B777-300ER, before being extended to other planes. Timescale for installation has not yet been announced. But in view of the above comment, it is likely to take some time considering that SIA has a 19-strong fleet of B777-300ERs and as many, if not more, A380s currently in service.
Initially, there is bound to be some confusion amongst passengers both in terms of product and price as, like the Gulf carriers, SIA is very much a hub airline.
And that means that many passengers will take two SIA flights, via the Singapore hub, to complete a one-way trip rather than one.
So, for example, a passenger might find the new product installed between London or Frankfurt and Singapore. But between Singapore and Australasia, he or she may find it unavailable at the time of travel.
With SIA already having superlative onboard products it will be interesting to see how it works out.
Alex McWhirter
