Singapore Airlines A350-900

I will never forget the time flight attendant Devipriya tucked me cosily into a blanket. I was travelling business class on Singapore Airlines’ new Airbus A350 flight from Mumbai to Singapore. I must have had a glass or two of wine too many—and that too fine Chardonnay—which had made me quite drowsy. With noise-cancelling headphones over my ears and the cappella group Pentatonix’s latest album, PTX, Vol. IV— Classics, on loop, I decided to catch a snooze.

- Manek S. Kohli

Half my blanket was on the floor and my seat still upright—tragic, given that it could be flattened into a bed. However, Devipriya stopped by, took off my headphones and properly laid the blanket over me. Grateful, I turned to the side and proceeded to sleep like a baby.

No one had warned me of Singapore Airlines’ fine hospitality when I first boarded the flight. The A350-900, which had begun operations on its first Indian route just a day ago, had a long, sleek body. But what really stood out were the winglets that curved upwards: this unique design helps reduce fuel consumption, since aircraft drag—the force that opposes motion in the air—is reduced. I was told that the aircraft is designed to be more comfortable, technologically advanced, fuel-efficient and better suited for long-distance routes compared to older models. The purple interiors, the first thing I noticed upon boarding, were certainly more stylish than the beige of the much-larger Airbus A380. The business-class seats were spacious and the seating arrangement promised privacy—windows on either side had just a single seat each.