SIA lets you lie back in the sky

SINGAPORE (JP): Singapore Airlines (SIA) plans to introduce a new-generation business-class seat on 45 of its aircraft, with a total investment of US$100 million.

Called the "SpaceBed", the new seats can recline into flat beds 198 centimeters long and incline at an angle of eight degrees.

The SpaceBed is believed to be the longest bed in the sky and also the widest, by up to 20 cm more than any other business- class seat or bed.

The new seats will be installed in the business-class sections (Raffles Class) of 45 Boeing 747 Megatops and Boeing 777-200ER aircraft serving Europe, North America and Australasia.

The SpaceBed is expected to make its first appearance in early November, in a Boeing 747 Megatop serving the Singapore-London route.

The longer seats mean that the airline will have eight fewer seats in its Megatop 747 business-class cabins than the 58 seats it has at present.

Asked if this would lead to an increase in fares, Yap Kim Wah, SIA's senior vice president for products and services, only said the company would review the situation nearer the launch date.

The SpaceBed uses a cushion developed for the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and conforms to the contours of the passenger's body.

The new seats will also come with a new-generation in-flight entertainment system called KrisWorld, which offers a choice of 40 movies and 50 games on high-resolution monitors.

A new AC power system will also be built into the SpaceBeds, allowing passengers to send and receive e-mail and browse the Internet on their laptops using a normal power cord. (hdn)