Singapore Airlines' business class was 30 inches wide in 2006. The new A350 seat is 22, and it's gray
Twenty years of SQ business class, from the 2006 seat billed as the world's widest to the gray-and-yellow 2027 suite, and the design studio change behind it.
Singapore Airlines' new business class is not the first time the airline has reinvented its premium cabin. It follows flagship long-haul business seats launched in 2006, 2013 and 2017. Each one added more screen, more privacy and more technology. The width tells a different story. The 2006 seat was 30 inches wide. The 2027 seat on the refitted A350 is 22 inches, and it comes in the mineral gray and yellow that has set off days of debate. Singapore Airlines' technical notes
The color change is also a change of designer. The 2006, 2013 and 2017 business seats were all designed with the same studio. This one was not.
Four seats, two decades#
Here is how each generation compares, using the figures Singapore Airlines published at each launch.
| Launch | Business class designer | Seat width | Screen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006, Boeing 777-300ER | James Park Associates | 30 in | 15.4 in |
| 2013, Boeing 777-300ER | James Park Associates | not stated | 18 in |
| 2017, Airbus A380 | JPA Design | 25 in | 18 in |
| 2027, A350 and 777-9 | Designworks | 22 to 24 in | 20 to 22 in |
The 2006 figures come from The Times's report on the launch, and the airline's heritage timeline confirms it called them the world's widest. The 2013 details come from the airline's July 2013 release, which did not give a seat width. The 2017 figures come from the airline's November 2017 release. The 2027 figures come from its technical notes. The studio now goes by JPA Design. Airlines do not always measure seat width the same way, so treat the width column as a guide, not a lab test.
Source: The Times, Singapore Airlines 2013, Singapore Airlines 2017, Singapore Airlines 2026
Show the numbers
| Launch | Screen |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 15.4in |
| 2013 | 18in |
| 2017 | 18in |
| 2027 | 22in |
The screens kept growing. The seat got narrower, but the new one adds things the older seats never had, including sliding doors, a 79-inch bed and smart controls that remember your seat settings. Singapore Airlines
How the airline described the look each time#
The words the airline chose for each cabin show where the look has moved. In 2013 it said the new business seat was "set in a warm and inviting cabin." In 2017 it described the A380 business cabin as showing off "a modern yet organic" color scheme, "featuring a selection of soothing and classy leather and fabrics." Singapore Airlines, 2013 · Singapore Airlines, 2017
For 2027, the airline's notes talk about "layered textures, and metallic accents" that give the cabin "a contemporary and refined look." The word "warm" is gone. Ong Wah Li, the airline's vice president of product experience, has since said its "signature warm and classic aesthetic has served us well," but that it wanted the new seat "to have its own character." Singapore Airlines' technical notes · The Sydney Morning Herald
One London-based flyer put the change in pictures on X. His post sets the 2006, 2017 and 2027 business cabins side by side. He wrote that the new seat comes with "more bells and more whistles than ever before," but called the gradual loss of color a real shame.
A new designer for business class#
The biggest change behind the scenes is who drew the seat. James Park Associates designed the 2006 seats, according to the airline's 2006 announcement. The same studio designed the 2013 business seat and, as JPA Design, the 2017 A380 business seat. For 2027, the airline gave business class to Designworks, a BMW Group studio, with seats built by Germany's RECARO. Singapore Airlines
Designworks is not new to the airline, though. In 2013, when it was called BMW Group DesignworksUSA, it helped develop that year's new first class, according to the airline's 2013 release. So the studio behind the gray-and-yellow business seat also worked on a Singapore Airlines first class cabin more than a decade ago.
Designworks CEO Julia de Bono has said the new palette "was deliberate." She described it as "like a suit with a sneaker." The Sydney Morning Herald
- New cabins launched, billed as the world's widest business seat
- Next-generation cabins unveiled for the 777-300ER
- New A380 cabins unveiled, with double beds in business class
- Gray-and-yellow business class unveiled for the A350 and 777-9
- New seats due to begin service in the second half of the year
Source: Singapore Airlines heritage timeline, Singapore Airlines 2026
What flyers are saying about the change#
The reaction on X has mostly split the seat from the styling. The YouTube trip reviewer behind @iTripReport said he first thought the photos were "a generic mock up." He wrote that "nothing about gray and yellow" hints at Singapore Airlines, but that the airline "did go with a great seat."
Japanese flight reviewer Yasuhiro Takeuchi, who describes himself on X as a member of the airline's top-tier PPS Club, compared the 777-9 business class colors to a rival. His post, in Japanese and English, says the color scheme "looks like EVA Air," the Taiwanese carrier.
Those are selected reactions, not a poll. The airline has not released any survey of how customers view the new colors.
Why it matters if you fly Singapore Airlines#
You will not see the new seat until the second half of 2027, and only on 41 refitted A350s and the new 777-9s. Until then, the airline's current business class seats keep flying. Singapore Airlines
If you prefer the warmer look, those older cabins will be around for a while yet. If you care more about a door, a bigger screen and a 79-inch flat bed, the new seat is the one to wait for. For how the airline and its designer are answering critics, see our story on their defense. For how the A350 and 777-9 versions differ, see our seat comparison.
Cite this article
Lounge Frog Editorial. “Singapore Airlines' business class was 30 inches wide in 2006. The new A350 seat is 22, and it's gray.” Lounge Frog. Published 2026-11-09. https://www.loungefrog.com/news/singapore-airlines-business-class-2006-2013-2017-2027-then-vs-now
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