Singapore Airlines (SIA), always ahead in luxurious service, takes the high life to a new level with the innovative design and features of its latest fleet, the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner.
The Business Class seats are fitted with Italian brand Alcantara, a synthetic suede composite—made from the same materials used in Porsches and Lamborghinis. This gives extra comfort and grip, and greater stain/abrasion resistance and durability.
Balagopal Kunduvara, SIA general manager, said, “You wouldn’t believe how long”—before the airline finally decides on the materials and stitching to use in the seats.
SIA spent $350 million on its new Business Class sections, so the reciprocity between affluence and cutting-edge technology is clear-cut. The airline, the first to acquire the Boeing 747 in 1972, is also the first carrier in the world to fly all three Boeing models.
Dinesh Keskar, Boeing SVP for sales, Asia Pacific and India, said that SIA is Boeing’s biggest client to date, with an order of 49 more of the 787-10 aircraft.
“More than two years ago we decided we needed a new Business Class. We performed customer research, and the expectations are really high,” said Yung Han Ng, SIA VP, product innovations. “So the challenge is really to think ahead.”
Full-flat beds
The plane’s 36 Business Class seats are convertible to 76-inch-long full-flat beds. Kunduvara said the Boeing 787-10 is earmarked for regional flights, meaning medium-haul flights of up to eight hours, which makes the full-flat bed a luxury feature.
All seats are 26 inches wide, with an option to add six more inches of space when the retractable armrests are lowered. Adjustable dividers in the aisle seats can be raised or lowered for privacy.
The 1-2-1 configuration ensures everyone gets direct access to the aisle.
Business Class seats have 18-inch full high-definition touchscreen monitors, in-seat power options, and stowing compartments.
All windows are 30 percent larger, and all seats allow all passengers a good view of the skies.
Window seats have an electrochromic dimming system that adjusts the window’s tint from transparent to completely dim at the push of a button.
The soft LED lighting is adjustable to various flying modes: boarding, flight, relaxing, serving meal, sleeping, pre-landing.
“You can curate different scenes, a bit warmer during mealtimes so the food would look nicer, or a bit lighter upon waking up,” said Ng. “Modern systems allow airlines to curate the details. The limit is your imagination.”
Indeed, the new Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner lives up to the hype. It is the longest in the Dreamliner fleet with a cargo volume of nearly double. It also uses 25 percent lesser fuel per passenger compared to similar aircraft of the same size. It is 10 percent more fuel-efficient compared to its competition.
Designed with strong yet lightweight composites, the aircraft has less weight.
The 787-10 is less noisy with a “calmer cabin experience”—quieter air-conditioning and advanced technology that isolates noises from vibrations in sidewalls and ceilings, and reduces engine noises. As a result, it has 60 percent less noise footprint.
Smooth ride
Midway through its inaugural commercial flight from Singapore to Manila, Filipino-Singaporean pilot Capt. Julio Rosales II announced a brewing air turbulence ahead and instructed everyone to return to his seat and fasten his seatbelt. The passengers felt only a slight shake and wondered what the big deal was.
As it turned out, the Dreamliner has Smooth Ride Technology with smart sensors that detect turbulence and reduce motion sickness eight-fold.
The Dreamliner, like hospital operating rooms, has an air-purifier system that eliminates odors and contaminants that cause throat irritation.
The cabin’s high-efficiency particulate air filters kill bacteria, viruses and fungi, with additional filtration to remove other irritants.
“We maintain the airline ambient air, so you’ll be feeling a lot more refreshed,” Kunduvara said. Passengers will get to breathe clean air with a higher cabin humidity that reduces jet lag, headaches and fatigue.
“This is the product of the future,” Ng said. “The world has moved on and expectations are getting higher. There’s more ‘real estate’ on this aircraft. It’s a lot more luxurious and spacious.”
All passengers now have greater control over their in-flight entertainment through myKrisWorld. They can preload their viewing choices before the flight. If passengers opt to log in their information upon boarding, the system will pick up where they left off when they board a different plane. Unfinished movies will automatically start where passengers left off.
Business Class passengers can pre-select from an array of gourmet choices with Book the Cook, 24 hours before flights from Singapore.
Ergonomic seating
Economy Class has ergonomically designed contour backrest, a six-way adjustable headrest and foldable wings for more neck support. Seats come in a 3-3-3 layout with 11.6 inches and full high-definition monitors with touchscreen control system.
The new 787-10s have in-flight Wi-Fi.
The Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner has started services between Singapore and Osaka and Perth last May 2018, and Bali last July, with more destinations to be added.
It will operate on SQ915/SQ918 flights to/from Manila.