SIA CEO responds to criticism of new business class design

The CEO of Singapore Airlines (SIA), Goh Choon Phong, has said the airline will review customer feedback on its revamped cabins and explore further refinements to improve the overall travel experience, following criticism of the new Business Class design.

In a video seen by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, reported by CNA, Goh acknowledged that the feedback included concerns over the Business Class colour palette, which has attracted criticism for straying from the airline's established visual identity.

"We appreciate those feedback and we thank our customers for the feedback. We will be reviewing the feedback and look into exploring any further refinements that would help enhance the customer's experience," he said.

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Addressing a question about why SIA appointed three separate design agencies rather than one to oversee the cabin refresh, Goh said the requirements across the different cabin classes vary, prompting the airline to select agencies based on the needs of each product.

"Obviously, the requirements for the different cabin classes are quite different from our customers' perspective. What we have done is to choose the most appropriate agency for the needs of that specific business class," he said.

The comments come after SIA's cabin refresh drew mixed reactions online, with criticism largely centered on the visual direction of its new Business Class cabin.

The refresh covers First Class, Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy, with design work involving PriestmanGoode, Designworks and Factorydesign. The new cabins are expected to enter service from the second half of 2027, backed by an investment of more than SG$2 billion.

In particular, the Business Class cabin's grey and yellow colour palette has drawn comparisons to dental chairs and medical examination rooms, with some customers questioning whether the design retains the premium feel traditionally associated with SIA.

Social listening data from CARMA found that negative sentiment accounted for 49.4% of conversations surrounding the refresh, compared with 14.46% positive sentiment and 36.14% neutral sentiment. Design accounted for 38.2% of conversations monitored, with the Business Class palette attracting particular attention.

The airline had previously defended the design direction. In a video shared by Australian travel creator The Points Wanderer, vice president of product experience Ong Wah Li said customers had expressed a preference for a more contemporary aesthetic.

"We spoke to our customers, and they said they wanted a more modern refreshed look. We worked with Designworks and Julia de Bono to come up with the colour palette that is modern and refreshed, yet elegant and refined that's suited to business travel," she said.

Meanwhile, chief commercial officer Lee Lik Hsin also said the differences in cabin colours would not undermine the airline's brand consistency, pointing to the wider journey customers experience.

"The cohesive customer experience for Singapore Airlines goes far beyond colour. It even goes far beyond a cabin. It is the end-to-end experience that we provide," said Lee.

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