Emirates, at Dubai Airshow 2021, has announced that it will install its new Premium Economy product on 105 aircraft and is also considering upgrading its Boeing B777 Business Class.
105 aircraft to be retrofitted
The 18-month retrofit programme, which will begin at the end of 2022, will see 52 Emirates Airbus A380s and 53 Boeing B777s fitted with the airline’s Premium Economy product. The retrofit programme will be entirely conducted at Emirates’ Engineering Centre in Dubai.
Another good news is that the airline has announced that it is considering installing a brand new Business Class product on its Boeing 777 aircraft, with customised seats in a 1-2-1 layout. Presently, Emirates’ B777 fleet features Business Class seats in a 2-3-2 configuration which is considered a very outdated product, as most premium airlines around the world now offer Business Class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration with every seat having direct-aisle access. Every Emirates’ current Business Class seat does not have direct-aisle access, making it a less attractive product.
Sir Tim Clark, President, Emirates, said:
Emirates is investing in this retrofit programme to ensure that we continue to serve our customers’ needs, and provide the best experiences in the sky. Since we introduced our Premium Economy seats a year back, we’ve received a hugely positive response. Customers have been amazed by the quality and comfort. As Emirates has done with our signature First, Business and full-service Economy travel experiences, we intend to further develop our Premium Economy into a distinctive Emirates experience that is unmatched in the industry. We are also considering a brand new Business Class product. More details will be revealed in due course.
He added:
It is also a source of pride that the entire retrofit project will be conducted at our home base in Dubai. It demonstrates the strong aviation capabilities that has been built up within Emirates airline and the broader UAE ecosystem to support such a highly specialised and technical programme.
At the end of the retrofit programme, Emirates will have a total of 111 Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft offering Premium Economy seats, including the 6 A380s that would have been delivered to the airline with four cabin classes by December 2021.
The Airbus A380 will have 56 Premium Economy Seats in a 2-4-2 configuration at the front of the main deck while the Boeing B777 will have 24 seats in a 2-4-2 configuration. In order to make space for the Premium Economy Cabin on the B777, 5 rows of Economy class seats located just behind Business Class will be removed.
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Emirates’ Premium Economy
Emirates’ Premium Economy seats have a seat pitch of up to 40-inches. Each seat is 19.5 inches wide and reclines 8 inches. Covered in the finest quality anti-stain leather with stitching details and a wood panel finishing, each seat is designed to provide optimal comfort and support with 6-way adjustable headrests, calf rests and footrests. Other seat features include in-seat charging points, a wide dining table and side cocktail table. Each seat also features a 13.3 inch seat-back screen, one of the largest in its class.
By end of December 2021, Emirates’ A380s with Premium Economy will be operating on the airline’s flights to Frankfurt, London Heathrow, New York-JFK and Paris.
Meanwhile, Emirates recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Gulf Air.
Featured image by Emirates
All the other images by Emirates
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