The final instalment in our ‘farewell’ series covering the recent retirement of SIA Business Class and First Class seats will always be regarded as a true ‘game changer’ in the aviation industry. The airline’s first ever Suites product on the Airbus A380 undoubtedly set a new standard for superjumbo First Class cabins across the world.
The 2007 Suites product was available on the airline’s original batch of 19 older Airbus A380 jets, but was unceremoniously and quite unexpectedly retired from service in March 2020, as a result of the sudden drop in global passenger demand when the COVID-19 pandemic took hold.
The product was offered on a variety of routes across the airline’s network for a total of 12 years and 5 months, however Singapore Airlines has now confirmed that all 12 Airbus A380s returning to its operating fleet will be refitted with the new 2017 cabin products before re-entering service.
Launch delays
Singapore Airlines wanted its new Airbus A380 Suites product to be launched in April 2006, alongside the new long-haul Business Class seat. This was a significant milestone for the airline, since it was the launch customer for the superjumbo, and these were both pioneering cabin designs.
However, production delays pushed the first A380 delivery to October and then December 2006.
In the end, another 10-month holdup resulted in SIA taking its first A380 in October 2007, 18 months later than planned.