Qantas: Singapore flights get new Business Suite business class
By David Flynn, January 13 2015
Qantas will upgrade selected Sydney-Singapore and Melbourne-Singapore flights with its all-new Business Suite business class seating from this weekend.
The first of 10 international Airbus A330-300 jets fitted with the lie-flat seats at the pointy end is planned to debut on the Melbourne-Singapore QF35 flight this coming Saturday January 17, before turning around to become the overnight QF82 Singapore-Sydney redeye.
The international A330 Business Suite is set to spread its wings
Read the AusBT review: Qantas Airbus A330 Business Suite
The same aircraft will alternate between the Sydney-Singapore and Melbourne-Singapore routes every two days until more refitted A330-300s join the Qantas International fleet in the coming months.
“By March we’ll have five domestic and international A330s, and by August we’ll have 11” Kylie Morris, Qantas' Head of Customer Experience (below), recently told Australian Business Traveller.
Kylie Morris: Singapore in the spotlight for the A330 Business Suite
"We want to focus on getting good penetration into Singapore, and then as we get more (upgraded) aircraft we’ll focus on other Asian destinations and Honolulu."
Read: Qantas plans rapid roll-out for A330 Business Suite
The current international A330s are fitted with 30 of the original Skybed I business class seats, which have an angled lie-flat design and a 2-2-2 layout.
The Business Suite will replace these first-gen Skybed sloping sleepers
Read: How to make an angled lie-flat sleeper seat more comfortable
By comparison, the refurbished A330s get 28 fully-flat Business Suites in a 1-21 layout...
... with each passenger enjoying a recline mode for take-off and landing, direct aisle access plus plenty of work and storage space.
Read: Best seats on Qantas Airbus A330-300 Business Suite international business class
Travellers on tighter budgets aren't forgotten, with 269 new Recaro economy seats based on those of Qantas' flagship Airbus A380.
Each economy seat includes a 'footnet' into which passengers can tuck their feet, an oversized 'multidirectional' headrest, a 11.1 inch video screen with USB port and a shared AC power socket.
To date the only other Asian route timetabled for the Business Suite is the new Brisbane-Narita service which begins on August 1.
Also read:
- AusBT review: Qantas Airbus A330 Business Suite
- Best seats: Qantas domestic Airbus A330-200 Business Suite business class
- Up close with Qantas' next-gen business class
- 10 things you didn't know about the new Qantas Business Suite
Follow Australian Business Traveller on Twitter: we're @AusBT
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jul 2011
Total posts 1378
Will be good to see the cloth version of the A330 Business seat,
as well as the brand new Economy seat and IFE (not present in the previously seen A332)
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2555
FYI – Qantas tells AusBT that following this weekend's twin-city debut the first A330's rotation pattern is expected to settle into the following pattern: MEL-SIN-MEL-SIN-SYD-SIN-SYD-SIN-MEL and then starting again (flights are QF35/36 and QF81/82).
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Feb 2014
Total posts 144
And what about Brisbane ;'(
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Mar 2012
Total posts 233
In all fairness to QF, Brisbane does have the weakest competitors' products; Sydney and Melbourne do make a lot more sense to deploy first. (This is coming from a BNE based customer too).
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Mar 2013
Total posts 169
Much Appreciated, thnakyou David. The SYD/SIN leg with the new Bus seats will be great and appreciated.
However it's the slog to Honolulu that does need to upgrade. Has QF given you any indication when this will be done? Thankyou
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2555
Bevan: if we had any information on this we'd have included it in the article.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
01 Mar 2013
Total posts 169
Acknowledged - Appreciate AusBT's work. Cheers
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jul 2011
Total posts 1378
But I would suggest that given the competition SIN (vs SQ), HKG (vs CX), PVG (vs CX/KA,MU) and even CGK (vs GA) are the ones that desparately need the new product.
Would expect BKK, MNL and HNL to be the last to get the new product (note the HNL was the last route with 767s as well)
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Jan 2013
Total posts 698
I agree it'll make a big difference for Honolulu, but as it's more of a bucket and spade route, I can understand why it's not the front of the list (more corporate travellers to SIN).
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Jan 2015
Total posts 6
Hi David good to see Qantas continue to improve its product,as a Perth based QFF I am still disappointed to see no sign of the red roo coming back on international sectors have you any news on this?
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2555
No, and once again, if we have any such news we will be reporting it.
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
14 Jan 2015
Total posts 1
Would be nice to have this on the regular MEL - SYD shuttle.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Oct 2014
Total posts 14
Thanks David for keeping us up to date, but we have missed out on the new business class..Flying to Hong Kong beginning of March and from Brisbane, seems like two strikes against us...Think we will go back to Singapore Airlines, next trip...
Qantas
07 Mar 2014
Total posts 7
Good for the Eastern Seaboard but Qantas is still neglecting those who are from the West. No Qantas International Flight just Jet Star from Perth to Singapore. Had to move all my staff who fly regularly from Perth to Singapore (about 10 return flights a month) to Singapore Airlines because of the poor service on JetStar and no Airport Lounge access in Perth. Not really a National Carrier if no International Flights from Perth.
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