Singapore Airlines (SIA) has revealed the full configuration of its Airbus A380s through the release of detailed cabin drawings on its website.
The drawings below have been posted under the fleet information section of SIA’s website. The seating configuration had been a closely guarded secret until this week.
SIA’s A380s will seat 471 passengers in three classes, seating 12 in what it calls “Singapore Airlines Suites” class, 60 in business class and 399 in economy class. By comparison, most of SIA’s 21 Boeing 747-400s seat 375 passengers, with 12 in first class, 50 in business and 313 in economy.
The 12 A380 “Suites” seats will be on the main deck at the front of the aircraft and SIA’s spokesman says the carrier is not calling it first class as the new class “is in a league of its own” and will have a class code of ‘R’.
He says business, or ‘J’ class, and economy, or ‘Y’ class, will be similar to the upgraded classes that it introduced on its new Boeing 777-300ERs late last year.
“The A380 business class is modelled on the 777-300ER business class with slight differences to take into account the larger size of the aircraft,” says the spokesman. “It is generally the same for economy class.”
The drawing shows there are four main cabins on the main deck of the aircraft, with “Suites” class at the front and three economy cabins with 311 seats stretching to the rear in 3-4-3 configuration. Much of the upper deck is filled with the 60 business class seats in 1-2-1 configuration in two cabins, followed by 88 economy seats, most of them in 2-4-2 configuration.
SIA is due to be the first operator of the A380 when it takes delivery of the first of 19 that it has on firm order on 15 October. It will take delivery of the first four production aircraft, after which Qantas Airways and Emirates start taking delivery of their A380s.
The first commercial flights will be operated over 25-26 October between Singapore and Sydney, although those will be special services for which seats have been sold through an auction for charity. Scheduled services between Singapore and Sydney start on 28 October.
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Pictures: Airbus begins flight testing first Singapore Airlines' A380 ...Source: FlightGlobal.com
