Singapore International Airlines (SIA) on Tuesday said it will roll out a host of new cabin products as it returns to utilizing the Boeing 737 MAX-8 aircraft – the same model that was taken out of service worldwide for more than a year and a half after two separate crashes killed 546 people in 2018 and 2019.
“This is the culmination of three years of innovation and hard work, involving extensive customer research and close partnerships with designers and suppliers,” Lee Lik Hsin, Executive Vice President Commercial, Singapore Airlines, said in a statement. “As a result, we can now offer customers a premium travel experience across our entire full-service network, no matter how long or short their journey.”
The carrier said it is adding amenities to the narrowbody 737 MAX-8 that are similar to features found on its widebody jets.
All of the MAX jets will have 154 seats in two classes, 10 in Business Class and 144 in Economy.
Business Class will feature new lie-flat seats while Economy will have the latest generation slim-line seating. The cabin of the 737-8 has been designed with a special focus on ergonomics, helping to ensure that everything is within easy reach for customers.
All seats will have the Panasonic’s X-Series seat-back in-flight entertainment system.
SIA said it invested around $230 million on the development, design and installation of the cabin products.
“This significant investment demonstrates Singapore Airlines’ commitment to maintaining our leadership position in the airline industry,” Hsin said. “As air travel recovers, our customers can continue to enjoy world-class products and award-winning service across our fleets.”