Background

Last year, Singapore Airlines announced a complete refurbishment of its existing A380 product, across all cabins. It is also retiring its oldest A380s and has received new ones. The business class also sees a major revamp — while the cabin retains its 1-2-1 configuration, it features new seats and a whole new cabin aesthetic.

The airline is, in a staggered fashion, deploying the new A380s on different sectors. I booked myself onto the first flight of one such aircraft, ferrying me from Sydney to Singapore, soon after its arrival from the Airbus hangars in Toulouse. I could almost smell the new paint and plastic in the cabin, with its visibly brand new look.

The Lounge

The lounge, conveniently located just above the boarding gate, offers great tarmac views for aviation geeks like me, a massive open buffet, a bar and a coffee station. Other perks include charging stations, private work pods and shower suites.

Boarding

Since the A380 business class is located on the upper deck, along with the first class Suites, there is a dedicated queue that leads all premium cabin passengers to the upper deck, through a separate aerobridge.

The Seat

The business class cabin features 78 seats in a 1-2-1 format. The seats come in a stylish cocoon-like shell, giving an increased sense of privacy and direct aisle access for all. The overall look of the cabin is aesthetically pleasing, with the seats decked out in aubergine Poltrona Frau leather, with grey and blue accents all through the cabin. The seat features a generous workspace, power points and USB charging ports. There is extra space by the footrest to stow a bag or a pair of shoes. In addition there is a vanity mirror, a magazine rack and a small compartment for your smaller items. Singapore Airlines’ A380 seats have always been extra-generous. The current version features a generous seat width of 25 inches, down from the 30 inches of its predecessor. The seat reclines into a fully flat bed mode, 78 inches long and 34 inches wide.

Which Seat to choose

If you are traveling solo, your best bet would be to choose one of the single seats along the windows. If you are travelling with someone, you could choose the two centre seats. The divider between these two seats can be lowered, and you can even, if you so choose, get a double bed of sorts.

The Flight

It is almost impossible to find fault with the gracious service delivered by the iconic Balmain-clad “Singapore Girl”. The crew is always around, consistently addressing every passenger by name. F&B options include a multi-course gourmet meal with four main course options. Or you could choose the Book the Cook option, like I did, and pre-order your preferred meal through the airline’s website. In addition to the cocktail menu — try the Singapore Sling — there is an entire menu dedicated to coffees and TWG gourmet teas.

Verdict

This is arguably the most luxurious business class product flying between Asia and Sydney right now. singaporeair.com