Singapore Airlines mentioned previously that SilkAir aircraft that will be absorbed into the Singapore Airlines main fleet following a merger, will undergo a cabin upgrade to ensure that cabin products and inflight experience will be better aligned throughout the fleet.
It has been announced that SilkAir B737 MAX 8 aircraft will have flat bed Business Class seats, manufactured by Thompson Aero Seating, installed beginning from May 2020 onwards.
As per the press release, the seats will be forward facing with a staggered layout, in line with the current Business Class products onboard the B787-10 and A350-900 regional aircraft. Of course, with the B737 MAX 8 being a narrow body aircraft, installation of the regional Business Class seat currently found on widebody aircraft can be tricky. Hence, the likely layout is a staggered 2-2/1-1 configuration, similar to the picture below.
Since Singapore Airlines has mentioned that the seats are forward facing, we are not expecting the alternative herringbone configuration, which can also be found on narrow body aircraft.
Another piece of great news is that all seats onboard the newly refurbished B737 MAX 8 aircraft will have inflight entertainment consoles, a major upgrade from the existing SilkAir fleet.
More details on the exact seating configuration and seat features will be announced in due course.