Summary

  • Emirates is retrofitting 191 aircraft to improve passenger experience and service quality.
  • The refurbishment is managed in-house and will include collaboration with major partners.
  • Emirates’ retrofit program spans the A380s and Boeing 777s and features modern Premium Economy layouts.

In a vast new deal announced on May 7th, 2024, Emirates detailed plans to retrofit another 43 A380s and 28 Boeing 777s, bringing the total under this program to 191 aircraft. This roll-out is part of the airline’s commitment to product uniformity across its fleet, and it is well-placed to take further advantage of growth opportunities.

This retrofit program, which was initially announced in 2022, is costing the Dubai-based airline $2 billion, but will ensure world-class service for passengers in the mid-2030s.

What’s going to change?

The refurbishment work is entirely managed in-house at Emirates’ Engineering Centre, with over 250 project personnel working around the clock. The airline is also collaborating with 48 major partners and suppliers, who have set up on-site and off-site workshops to deliver the refreshed cabins. The airline estimates that the time taken for the work on each aircraft will be two weeks.

Thus far, Emirates has retrofitted 22 Airbus A380s, and, on January 6th, 2023, the carrier deployed the first completely refurbished A380, operating as flight EK003 from Dubai to London Heathrow. This aircraft was the first out of 120 initially envisioned for restoration. Meanwhile, the first Boeing 777 will be retrofitted in July 2024.

The four-class configuration of the Boeing 777 will have 24 premium economy, eight first class, 40 business class, and 260 economy class seats. By eliminating the middle seat in its Boeing 777 business class, Emirates plans to switch to a 1-2-1 layout for direct aisle access at every seat. This springs from its successful premium economy retrofit program that attracted an excess of 160,000 passengers.

The A380’s main deck has been updated to accommodate 56 premium economy seats, while the upper deck’s first and business class cabins now feature new cream-colored leather upholstery and lighter-toned wood finishes. The signature Emirates ghaf tree motif is incorporated throughout, from the floor in the Shower Spa to the hand-stenciled panels outlining the Skybar. The carpets and stairs will also be upgraded.

The key details

With Sir Tim Clark, Emirates’ President, asserting that the airline’s customers will “notice the difference the moment they set foot onboard,” the already significant and spacious Airbus A380 will look and feel even bigger and more comfortable.

Emirates Boeing 777 Retrofit Features

First Class

Upgraded with new interiors (1-2-1 configuration)

Business Class

All new seats (1-2-1 configuration)

Premium Economy (New)

Addition of 24 premium economy seats (2-4-2 configuration)

Economy

Reduced by 50 seats to accommodate new Premium Economy seats (3-4-3 configuration)

Total Seat Configuration

332 seats in four classes: 8 First, 40 Business, 24 Premium Economy, 260 Economy

Emirates’ refurbished Airbus A380s already fly to major cities like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, London, Sydney, and Auckland. However, the carrier intends to grow this list to have 42 cities served by its new premium economy cabin by February 2025.

Emirates Airbus A380 Retrofit Features

First Class

Latest cream-colored leather upholstery, lighter-toned wood finishing, and hand-stencilled ghaf tree motif (1-2-1 configuration)

Business Class

Similar upgrades to First Class with cream-colored leather (1-2-1 configuration)

Premium Economy

56 seats with spacious design, ergonomic touches, calf rests, and generous reclines (2-4-2 configuration)

Economy

Cabin interior panels refreshed with new tones and design motifs. (3-4-3 configuration)

Total Seat Configuration

484 seats in four classes: 14 First (upper deck), 76 Business (upper deck), 56 Premium Economy (lower deck), 338 Economy (lower deck)

Related

Emirates Reaffirms The Airbus A380 Will Fly Until The 2040s With No Suitable Replacement

Tim Clark, the President of Emirates, reiterated the airline’s long-term commitment to its flagship aircraft, the Airbus A380.

Emirates’ future fleet

Emirates is expanding its fleet with new aircraft orders, in addition to the retrofit program, and the airline has placed orders estimated at $58 billion for jets such as Boeing 777s and 787s, as well as the Airbus A350. The first A350 is expected to be in service by September 2024, thus improving both Emirates’ capacity and service offerings.

Related

Why Couldn’t Any Airlines Apart From Emirates Make The Airbus A380 Work?

The most prominent operator is also the only one that envisions a long-term future for the aircraft.

However, Emirates has also announced that there will be a 12-month delay to the scheduled arrival of its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner, as a result of production errors on Boeing’s end. The airline had initially planned to acquire the 787-9 in 2023, but this date has since been pushed back.

In response to this delay, the airline plans to extend the lifespan of its existing Airbus A380s and Boeing 777-300ERs at a cost of $1.5 billion, while also reconsidering its 787 order. This delay affects Emirates and other carriers like American Airlines, which has also adjusted its flight schedules due to similar delivery delays.

Do you think Emirates is making a wise decision to undertake this extensive retrofit project? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.


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