Singapore Airlines flashes up its cabins with a little help from BMW
LONDON. August 25. KAZINFORM In an effort to jump ahead of its swanky long-haul rivals in the Middle East, Singapore Airlines is bringing in BMW and DesignworksUSA to help develop its next generation of in-flight cabin products.
Color us intrigued. When it comes to airline cabins, Singapore Airlines (SIA) has always been ahead of the game so these new cabins should be slick, CNN informs.
Back in 1997, it was among the first to bring in seat-back in-flight entertainment systems -- a time when other long-haul airlines were still making us watch movies projected onto an overhead screen.
In 2007, SIA was the first to fly the world's largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380.
But though travelers continue to rate SIA among the world's best airlines -- it came in third in the2012 World Airline Awards -- financially speaking it's still struggling.
Competition in the region is steep as all those budget carriers prove that these days cost trumps comfort, while the dismal European economy and recovering United States market are keeping long-haul travelers grounded.
This explains SIA's push to get ahead of airlines like Qatar and Etihad, also known for placing an emphasis on cabin comfort.