SIA new Airbus service to begin out of Christchurch

New Zealanders travellers between Christchurch and Singapore will soon have the additional choice of an SIA A350-900 aircraft. It follows the recent introduction of SIA flights from Wellington to Singapore via Melbourne, SIA GM New Zealand, Simon Turcotte said. The Christchurch service will begin in January 2019 with the A350-900 Airbus which has higher ceilings, larger windows, and wider body. The new aircraft have fewer seats at 253 compared with the current Boeing 777-200ER which has 312 seats - but there are more premium class seats on offer to make the airline more money per flight. The new A350-900 has a standard seating pattern of 42 business class fully reclining seats, 24 in premium economy class with partly reclining seats, and 187 economy class standard seats. By contrast the Boeing 777-200ER aircraft had fewer of the more expensive premium seats. All the seats on the new service are described as "next generation". Turcotte said the company was introducing premium economy class on the route for the first time.<br/>