Singapore Airlines has announced that it is trialling a new range of sustainable serviceware in its Economy Class and Premium Economy Class cabins on several medium-haul and long-haul routes next month, as the carrier continues its sustainability drive to reduce waste.
The new packaging will also allow a wider range of meal options on these longer flights, including soup-based dishes not suitable for the previous containers, like laksa and congee.
New serviceware
The new serviceware being trialled is made of Forest Stewardship Council certified paper, and features the carrier’s own branding including the batik motif flower pattern, part of a design now used extensively in the airline’s branding and marketing.
The container retains heat and moisture better than the current casserole dish used for meal services in these cabins on longer flights, which SIA says will help “to enhance the taste and texture of our main courses”.
“This trial comes after several months of research and development, as well as customer feedback. It is part of SIA’s continuous efforts to enhance the customer experience on board our flights.”
Singapore Airlines
The airline says the unique design also allows a wider choice of main course options, including “highly popular Singapore local favourites such as mee siam, laksa, and congee, which were previously only on offer on our regional flights”.
Of course the new serviceware is also used for other dishes, not just soup-based or gravy-based ones.
On trial flights, this container will replace the current plastic casserole dish normally used for these meals.
Which routes?
The trial has already been running during February 2023 on some of SIA’s Hong Kong flights, but a wider rollout is planned for the 1st – 25th March 2023 period, covering selected services on the following 12 routes:
- Delhi
- Dubai
- Frankfurt
- Hong Kong
- London
- Melbourne
- Mumbai
- Perth
- San Francisco
- Seoul
- Sydney
- Tokyo Haneda
For example, Economy Class travellers heading to Dubai on SQ494 will have the option of the Singapore Laksa for dinner during this period, while those heading to Perth on SQ223 will be able to choose Pork Congee for breakfast.
You can check what menu items to expect on your next Singapore Airlines flight by viewing the menu online up to eight days before departure, via the airline’s Digital Menu System.
Presumably if the trial is a success and customer feedback is positive, Singapore Airlines will be looking to roll this concept out network-wide on its medium-haul and short-haul flights in these cabins.
Short-haul meals already have sustainable packaging
This trial on medium-haul and long-haul services comes more than two years after Singapore Airlines revealed its new Economy Class meal concept for short-haul flights, including sustainable packaging consisting of a leak-proof box, a cup made of Forest Stewardship Council certified paper, and a dessert box.
Some of these features are apparent in the new trial concept for these longer flights, which will no doubt contribute further to the airline’s waste reduction and sustainability efforts, assuming a full rollout goes ahead.
Summary
Singapore Airlines is looking to extend the green credentials of its in-flight catering, with less weight, less waste and more sustainable packaging a great initiative we should all support given the environmental impact involved, particularly with single-use plastics.
The concept is now making it to the medium-haul and long-haul operation, with 12 routes included in this trial during March 2023, including Hong Kong, Sydney and London.
The design of the new packaging also allows the airline to offer dishes like mee siam, laksa and congee for the first time on these longer flights.
If you’re flying on one of these routes in March, do share any photos of the new serviceware concept and meal options with us.
(Cover Photo: Singapore Airlines)
It doesn’t make any difference their economy class meals are already substandard than a hawker centre. I was expecting this change from a very long time and soon you will see they will stop all alcoholic beverages like whisky, cognac, cocktails, digestifs from economy class and will be limited to beer, red or white wine. All other spirits will be buy onboard.
Rahul sounds like a sore person. Who hurt you?
Pls bring back butter roll serving and salad and dessert serving for short haul economy like before pandemic…not the current pathetic serving for a star airline like SIA compared to other low cost airline which has better food options.
Like which low cost? They don’t even serve food complimentary on Low cost thus the name. Thn don’t travel on SQ.
Actually the butter roll is now served warm and without plastic packaging. Reversal to pre pandemic days.
They already removed the salad and fruits for econ. Soon the tray will be gone too!
Really… less waste, more green?
What a crock of shit… green washing at its finest.
How can a single use paper container create less waste? all airline waste has to be destroyed or incinerated, creating more greenhouse emissions etc… open your eyes people… green spin nonsense from the SQ PR machine… all delivered with the visual appearance of a low cost carrier…
Does this represent value after you have paid $5000 for an economy ticket? Profit driven via cost cutting – waving the green eco tree hugging flag…
Complain like a loser on ML site, now come here and complain again. Really loser sia. With a capital L.
I believe another member commented on the other page also. Social media is blessed with multiple opportunities…! Notice you didn’t call the other person out for dual commentary. That’s ok.clearly nothing constructive for you to say… You are welcome to move along,, thank you for your input,
Sustainability = cost cutting. A happy coincidence! They don’t care about the planet as they spew thousands of tonnes of emissions into the air every day. They only care about their bottom line.
A lot of ego centric comments who don’t even have their own airlines to run. No one asking y’all to take SQ. Yet y’all keep coming back.
See a lot of Singaporeans here being their usual defensive self and responding rudely. I don’t think the criticisms on the food quality are unwarranted. Personally I have flown with SQ on both economy class and business class recently and there has indeed been a noticeable drop in both the quality and the quantity of food (the latter is more apparent in economy class as there is no longer fruit / salad – the usual starter appears to been replaced by a biscuit or a small block of cheese). I understand the need for SQ to make up for lost ground due to COVID-19 but the problem with too much cost cutting is that they can no longer be considered a premium airline, and the further question then is whether they can continue charging a premium without losing market share.
Agree with Jack above here. This is more likely a permanent cost-cutting idea masked by green initiative (I do appreciate the sustainable efforts though).
Recently fly with CX, SQ and a few others and noticeably SQ Y food’s quality dropped. Cathay for instance serves fruits and desserts on a 1hr30min mainland China-HK flights.
I would not consider SQ as too much of a premium airlines now. It is an airline that I would happily fly with at a standard non-LCC rate, besides very occasionally horrible ground service. I will certainly not pay a premium flying it when a airlines with reasonable reputation, e.g. CX, MH, TG, can take me to the same place with lower costs.
Notice the pictures supplied by SQ in this article – while the coffee was served in a paper cup, the juice was served in the usual plastic cup!!
Was served on tall skinny plastic cups for apple juice and red wine. Liquid content feels bigger than normal regular plastic cups.
However, it’s a design flaw as you are unable to open the tray table with the existing plastic cups and these tall cups make it worse. On the drinks holder the plastic cup lips sits exactly with the tray table.
Are they trialing these new longer cups?
Wow lots of toxic SQ apologisers here. Instead of mindlessly taking offence from criticism, if you really love SQ, why don’t you think of constrictive feedback to improve SQ’s deteriorating economy meal service? If you have seen the likes of ME3, Japanese or Taiwanese airlines you’d know SQ is way below average now in terms of Y meals. And this is yet another step backward