With the lifting of coronavirus restrictions around the world, there’s been an increase in international travel. Now, it appears airlines are hoping to make the most of this surge by introducing new luxury cabins.
As CNBC reports, Singapore Airlines recently unveiled its new line of first-class suites available to American travellers. With 50 square feet of space in total, the cabins feature their own bed, desk, swivel chair, and 32-inch touch screen T.V.
Additionally, there are 2 bathrooms shared by the first-class cabin passengers, which will only be a max of 6 per plane.
Singapore Airlines has also introduced a new selection of business-class seats on their A380 planes. These can convert into 6.5-foot-long beds.
As tempting as the new accommodations may sound, it’ll cost airplane travellers as hefty price. CNBC notes that a roundtrip ticket from New York to Singapore (with a stop in Frankfurt, Germany) costs over $17,000 for a first-class suite. For one of the new business class seats, the average price is $6,300.
Speaking to CNBC, Singapore Airlines Regional Vice President for North America, Joey Seow, explained the decision came after the airline noticed an increase in customers willing to pay for comfortable.
“Normally, people would choose to go for economy class because it’s cheaper,” he explained. “We see that more and more people are prepared to pay for that space.”
It’s expected that other airlines will follow suit as they try to raise profitability and tap into increased tourism – especially since the COVID-19 pandemic was devastating for many airlines. Now, rising fuel prices may have a similar impact.
For example, last year JetBlue revamped its luxurious Mint Cabins to feature sliding doors and a variety of long-haul services. Delta has expressed interest in doing something similar to level up its in-flight accommodation.
In an article published last August, Skift argued that luxury travel would be a salvation for the tourism industry. With stay-at-home restrictions, many people were saving more money than they were pre-pandemic. The outlet notes that, across the world, families have saved $5.4 trillion more than normal since the beginning of the pandemic.
With limited opportunities for travel and entertainment since 2020, many people feel more willing to spend savings on experiences, like tourism. And with extra disposable income, more people are interested in luxury travel.
Various hotels, cruise ships, and, of course, airlines are introducing luxury features to woo tourists, and this trend is expected to continue so long as travel remains booming.