- Emirates has revealed its first Premium Economy product, to initially be featured on 6 Airbus A380s.
- They have also made minor aesthetic changes to its first, business and economy cabins as well.
- The airline will initially offer the premium economy cabin as a free upgrade for customers to try until enough seats are added to their inventory.
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Emirates has finally revealed its first premium economy cabin featuring its own customized RECARO PL3530 seats. Prior to today’s release, it was speculated that Emirates would have launched with HAECO’s staggered Eclipse seats, which are a hybrid of business class and premium economy seating. In HAECO’s April 2019 release, they hinted that the product would be launched via a middle eastern carrier, but it seems now that Emirates was not the choice.
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Premium Economy
Their new cabins feature a toned down color scheme, with lighter seats and faux wood finishes on the tray tables and window panels. The new PE cabin was installed on its most recently delivered A380, and is initially expected to be installed on the last five remaining A380 deliveries in the upcoming year.
The airline is still looking at market demand and will then decide if the rest of the A380 (and how much) should be retrofitted to line up with the new offering. They also expect to include the product on their upcoming Boeing 777X aircraft expected for delivery starting in 2023.
Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said:
“The Emirates A380 is already one of the most sought-after travel experiences in the skies, and now we’ve made it even better. While others cut back, Emirates is working hard to restore the products and services that we’ve had to suspend or adjust due to pandemic precautions, and introduce new offerings and enhancements. True to our fly better promise, Emirates continues to invest to offer our customers the best possible experience.”
Located on the front of the lower deck, the new PE cabin features a total of 56 seats spread out in a 2-4-2 layout. The 19.5 inch wide seats will offer 40 inches of pitch and 8 inches of recline along with a foot rest and calf support. The seats include a faux wood tray, side cocktail table and charging ports.
There is also a 13.3 inch TV display which connects to Emirate’s ‘ice’ in-flight entertainment system.
First Class: More Privacy
- Each of the 14 first class suites will have wider and taller doors for more privacy.
- The seat and cabin colors have been adjusted to match the overall new scheme similar to premium economy.
- The Shower Spa has also received an update trim and fittings.
Business Class: New Finishes
- To feature champagne-colored leather covers and wood finishing, which will also be included in the Onboard Lounge.
Economy: New Seats
- Upgraded ergonomically designed economy seating, which they say is a supposed step up from what is featured on their Boeing 777s.
- Tray tables will also feature a wood grain finish, while seats will be slimmer and lighter (not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing for the passenger).
- The IFE display has been stepped up to a 13.3 inch monitor similar to the ones in premium economy and also connect to ‘ice’.
Free upgrades in the interim
Until enough premium economy capacity is included in their inventory, they will be offering them as free upgrades on different routes to let customers get an idea what the new product is like.
“Until we have a viable number of seats in our inventory to bring to market, we plan to offer the Emirates Premium Economy experience as a complimentary upgrade to valued customers. We’ll also deploy our newest A380 aircraft on various routes so that our customers can experience our latest offering in all classes.”
[Featured Photo: Emirates]
