Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) regional wing, SilkAir, will be upgrading its cabin products as part of a multi-year initiative that will ultimately see it merged into SIA.
More than $100 million will be invested to upgrade SilkAir’s cabins with new lie-flat seats in Business Class, and install seat-back in-flight entertainment systems in both Business Class and Economy Class.
This will ensure closer product and service consistency across the SIA Group’s full-service network, SIA said in a press statement on May 18, 2018.
Aircraft cabin upgrades are expected to start in 2020, and the merger will take place only after a sufficient number of aircraft have been fitted with the new cabin products.
Consistent with ongoing efforts to optimise the SIA Group’s network, there will also be transfers of routes and aircraft between the different airlines in the portfolio.
“Singapore Airlines is one year into our three-year Transformation Programme and today’s announcement is a significant development to provide more growth opportunities and prepare the Group for an even stronger future,” said SIA CEO, Mr Goh Choon Phong. “Importantly, it will be positive for our customers. It is another example of the major investment we are making to ensure that our products and services continue to lead the industry across short-, medium- and long-haul routes.”
SilkAir is the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, was launched in 1989 as Tradewinds the Airline, initially focusing on holiday destinations in Southeast Asia. Renamed SilkAir in 1992, it expanded progressively across Asia in subsequent years as it evolved from a holiday resort airline to a full-fledged, full-service regional carrier.
