The new SQ cabin classes - Discussion & speculation thread

[MAN Flyer]

Just got to SKL F at T2 for a swift one ahead of SQ978. There is an awful lot of, admittedly impressive, pomp and ceremony going on at the event including a group of singing crew. Nice to see a few familiar crew there, including the new 'darling of the fleet' who is showcasing the Suites.

No time to comment in any detail as boarding shortly but those JCL bulkhead seats look a magnitude better than the 'standard' ones and it really is time those better seats were 'reserved' for us poor TPP's (and QPP's if they must ) who regularly only book trips at short notice when those will have obviously gone. They haven't done this since they had it in place for 17A/C on the 744 and it's high time they brought it back. We did let a few of them know our thoughts on this, again. Having said that StarG wasn't overly impressed with the comfort of the JCL bed.

F looks good, but it's a shame they couldn't find a way to get 8 on there as they initially wanted. And like others I remain slightly baffled how there is no way to dine together in all that space.

It is worth pointing out here that they can issue as many images and invite as many people to the launch programme as they want, but the only true way to know how the new products fare is by first hand on board experience.

[SMK77]

(...) those JCL bulkhead seats look a magnitude better than the 'standard' ones and it really is time those better seats were 'reserved' for us poor TPP's (and QPP's if they must )

I took the liberty to share this idea with everyone who was a SVP or higher at the launch event and only Peter Seah was spared...

[SQ228]

New A380 joining the fleet:

Dec 2017: 1 aircraft, start of SIN-SYD
April 2018: 1 aircraft, extension to LHR
Q4 2018: 1 aircraft, (?)

There won't be any retrofits completed in 2018 or if at all only very late in the year.

For 2018, there will be one flight on LHR-SIN, SIN-SYD, SYD-SIN and SIN-LHR every day where people can fly the new products.

If the introduction is indeed that slow, it's possible SYD may have SKU only until SKV arrives. Once it does, SYD loses the new A380 so that LHR can go daily, and potentially a shorter destination like HKG could have it some days in between the LHR flights. SKW's arrival would return the new product to SYD. That's just a thought I had given SQ's tendency to favour product consistency on a long haul flight.

It seems now that the temporary change to 77Ws on the CDG route may simply be to shore up supply of A380s for the peak period as the oldest 5 come off lease. For it to be a kickstart to refitting, it will have to be extended beyond March 2018.

The other issue is the A380's somewhat higher maintenance time and tendency to go tech. While J and Y passengers will be disappointed when that happens to their new A380, Suites is such an entirely different product that there'll be pretty upset passengers in them with a last minute change.

[edison]

The only negative for me is the eventual zeroing out of Suites Saver redemption inventory out of SYD when the 2nd 380 rotation does get upgraded. At least in the early stages of the product lifecycle anyway. I'm not good with waitlisting and with zero status the DYKWIA dog won't hunt. Old Suites is still nicer than the 77W F. So hopefully the 2nd A380 doesn't get assigned an upgraded plane before flight bookings open for Christmas 2018...

Maybe just fly from MEL?

[SQavgeek]

As someone mentioned, do you think the rest of the A350's will get the new A380 products?

[flyguy]

As someone mentioned, do you think the rest of the A350's will get the new A380 products?

Believed the rest of the A350s and 787s will be fitted with the new J, PE and Y seats as currently there be obly 18 A350s delivered by this year out of a total of 67 A350s. It could be even possible that the new 787-10 will be delivered in with the new seats.

[FN-GM]

Believed the rest of the A350s and 787s will be fitted with the new J.

Going off what they have done in the past, I don't think was the case. They had brand new A330's coming with old seats.

Maybe the URL though.

[flyguy]

Going off what they have done in the past, I don't think was the case. They had brand new A330's coming with old seats.

Maybe the URL though.

Yes but could it be because SIA leased the A330s for initially 5 year period whilst awaiting its order and delivery of the A350s. SIA's new A350s and 787s are here to stay with SIA for quite some time from now.

[concept|infinit]

Is it just me or is there absolutely no announcement on which routes are going to get these seats, and what a krisflyer redemption on the new suites will be like? Assuming they even allow the latter that is

[demue]

Believed the rest of the A350s and 787s will be fitted with the new J, PE and Y seats as currently there be obly 18 A350s delivered by this year out of a total of 67 A350s. It could be even possible that the new 787-10 will be delivered in with the new seats.

Aren't the 787-10s getting a new regional J class seat (fully flat, no angled flat one)? I think there is a thread on FT where some speculation is going on about the selected model and a link to an article by David Flynn from Australian Business Traveller that is the source of the info. Looks decent if it materializes and would certainly be an improvement over the Weber seat on those red eye Japan, Korea or Australia flights.

[SQ-77W]

Yes but could it be because SIA leased the A330s for initially 5 year period whilst awaiting its order and delivery of the A350s. SIA's new A350s and 787s are here to stay with SIA for quite some time from now.

I think it seems more plausible that the next batch of A350s, after the first 19 have been delivered, will feature the newest generation of J, PEY and Y. That is if SQ doesn't opt to go regional with the next A350 batch.

As for the 787-10s, they're meant for short to medium-haul travel within the SQ fleet, so I believe they'll be fitted and deployed with the new regional J that has yet to be officially revealed alongside the same next-generation PEY and Y on the upcoming A380s!

[SQKevin]

Believed the rest of the A350s and 787s will be fitted with the new J, PE and Y seats as currently there be obly 18 A350s delivered by this year out of a total of 67 A350s. It could be even possible that the new 787-10 will be delivered in with the new seats.

The 19th & 20th A350 will be delivered in November & December, respectively, and have already had their seats installed. There is no indication if they will have the new J, PE and Y seats. It would be a pleasant surprise if they come with the new seats.

[yflyer]

SQ New A380 Cabin Product Launch Event on 3 Nov 2017

It has been an eventful week for SQTalkers and fans of SQ! MAN Flyer and StarG were at the launch event today (3 Nov 2017), and here are some pictures they took while checking out the new kit...

Just pictures in the next few posts...I expect that MAN Flyer and StarG will be adding their comments in subsequent posts, and I am sure they would welcome everyone else's impressions too.

Thanks, MAN Flyer and StarG, for the excellent photos!

[yflyer]

Kicking things off with speeches and a brief performance...

[yflyer]

The exhibition area...