National Museum of Singapore receives SIA's 1st generation A380 Business Class and Suites seats
Visitors may view the seats in an upcoming exhibition at the National Museum next year.
First-generation Business Class seat from the A380. (Photo: Singapore Airlines Limited)
When Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) Airbus A380 took to the skies 15 years ago on Oct 25, it ushered in several firsts.
SIA was the first in the world to fly the A380 the year it was launched in 2007, and the airline was also the first to introduce the Suites concept on board the A380 aircraft – offering luxury and privacy with a full-sized bed, sliding doors and window blinds built into each cabin, among other features.
The Business Class seats on board the A380 were also the widest of its kind at the time and could be transformed into full-flat beds.
The National Museum of Singapore received a donation of a first-generation A380 Business Class seat and a first-generation A380 Suites seat, which premiered in that maiden flight in 2007, so you can soon relive that iconic moment in history in an exhibition slated for next year.
In a Tuesday (Oct 25) media release, Chung May Khuen, director of the National Museum of Singapore, said that the seats are “a valuable addition to the museum’s collection of travel artefacts”. They also reveal the “unique innovations and successes” of the national carrier in commercial aviation.
“Objects like these iconic seats from SIA enrich our documentation and telling of Singapore’s progress and development through the years, and we look forward to more of such meaningful contributions,” added Chung.
The first-generation Business Class seats on the A380 were designed by JPA Design of the United Kingdom and manufactured by Koito of Japan, while the first-generation SIA Suites seats were designed by French luxury yacht designer Jean-Jacques Coste of Coste Design.
Said Yeoh Phee Teik, Senior Vice President Customer Experience of Singapore Airlines: “SIA was the first airline to fly the A380, and the introduction of these seats on the aircraft marked a milestone in aviation history as they offered an unprecedented level of comfort for our customers. We are grateful that the National Museum is preserving an important aspect of our history, and hope that visitors are reminded of their flights with us when they view the showcase.”
Information on the upcoming exhibition will be shared closer to the date. Visit www.nhb.gov.sg/nationalmuseum or the National Museum’s Facebook and Instagram pages for more information.
