Dubai-based 
Emirates
recently entered its first refurbished Boeing 777-300ER into service on routes to Geneva
(GVA), Brussels Airport
(BRU) and Tokyo Haneda Airport
(HND). The aircraft features the airline’s newly unveiled premium economy class product, as well as a refreshed business class layout. Coinciding with the celebration of the airline’s 10-year presence at Brussels Airport, Simple Flying attended a press event that included a static tour of the new product.
Emirates
- IATA/ICAO Code
-
EK/UAE
- Year Founded
-
1985
- CEO
-
Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum
The overall investment to refurbish the carrier’s 191 Boeing 777
and A380 aircraft and is worth roughly US$3 billion. Numerically, Emirates says that the whole project will result in the following being installed:
- 21,814 economy seats
- 8,104 new premium economy seats
- 11,182 “upgraded” business class seats
- 1,894 “refreshed” first class suites
Take a look at our video below for a brief, guided tour of the new premium economy and business class.
The new premium economy product
The airline’s refurbished 777-300ERs feature 24 premium economy seats, configured in a 2-4-2 layout. In other words, there are two middle seats in the center row. Aside from that, the hard product itself strongly reflects high-class service. The cabin is adorned with cream-beige colors mixed with some wooden-brown.
The leather seat is 19.5 inches wide. It has a six-way adjustable headrest for added comfort, as well as a calf and footrest. In terms of legroom, it provides 38 inches. The seats also ensure an eight-inch recline.
Looking further into the details of the product, it also has accessible in-seat charging points located under the in-flight entertainment screen. Finally, passengers can also benefit from a wooden dining and side cocktail table.
Photo: Dillon Shah | Simple Flying
Aside from the hard product, the premium economy class offering will allow passengers to benefit from free change and refunds for flights, as well as a 10kg carry-on bag. In addition, a 35 kilo hold-luggage allowance is in place, complemented by a new menu service that is “completely different from the economy class menu.” Finally, a welcome drink will also be offered.
The airline says demand for the product has been “outstanding” so far on routes where premium economy is offered.
A redistributed business class cabin
The primary difference between Emirates’ previous business class cabin and the newly refurbished version on the 777 is its layout. Previously, the carrier had adopted a 2-3-2 layout which meant that not all passengers had direct aisle access. Arguably uncompetitive, the hard product in this cabin was in dire need of a review. The new version features a 1-2-1 layout, meaning every passenger has direct aisle access. Significantly, the change also means that the aircraft will see an overall reduction in capacity.
“The new configuration onboard our 777 will see us move away from our 2-3-2 configuration to a 1-2-1, which means every single passenger will having aisle access, which was something we wanted to give our passengers for quite a long time.”
The business class features 38 seats, 20.7 inch-wide seats, 44-inch legroom and a 23-inch HD screen. Emirates says that the size of its in-flight entertainment screen is one of the biggest in the industry. The seat also has a personal mini bar, a table, “ample stowage for personal devices” and charging outlets. Keep in mind that there is also a small bar in the cabin itself for passengers to help themselves to.
Updates to the first class
Adjustments have also been made to the first class suites. The carrier says the highlights of the modified product include zero-gravity seats and floor-to-ceiling privacy doors. They also have virtual windows for the suites in the middle of the cabin (1-1-1 configuration), displaying live exterior views.
The carrier first introduced the first class suite in 2017 and was the world’s first fully enclosed suite on commercial planes. The carrier’s first-class product includes a chauffeur-drive service, airport lounge access, and “exclusive” food and beverages, with a promise of service excellence. At the press conference in Brussels, Country Manager Jean-Pierre Martin said:
“Today, for the first time in Brussels, Emirates, proudly debuts its refurbished Boeing 777 aircraft to Brussels with Geneva and Tokyo. And for us here in Brussels, this comes in time to mark the 10th year anniversary of flying to Belgium’s capital. Our newest Boeing 777 cabin interior will impress customers with its design details, signature, and finishing.”
Which destinations will it fly to?
The aircraft is already deployed on select operations to Geneva, Tokyo, and Brussels. As of September 22, the Swiss city will become the first destination on the carrier’s network to feature the retrofitted 777 full-time, being deployed on all its frequencies. Additional cities will join the network as planes are released from refurbishment. This includes flights to Zurich and Riyadh in October.
|
City |
Country |
As of |
|---|---|---|
|
Geneva |
Switzerland |
August 11 |
|
Tokyo |
Japan |
September 1 |
|
Brussels |
Belgium |
September 11 |
|
Zurich |
Switzerland |
October 1 |
|
Riyadh |
Saudi Arabia |
October 1 |
Today, the carrier announced that it would be deploying the refurbished 777s to the United States as of November 2024. Cities in the US that will see the new aircraft include Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Seattle, Newark and Miami.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying
When the first retrofitted 777 took off to Geneva, Emirates’ President, Sir Tim Clark, said:
“Emirates continues to carry out our commitment to deliver an unmatchable onboard experience with the introduction of our latest Boeing 777 with new signature interiors, raising the industry benchmark when it comes to premium travel. Our latest Business Class cabin offers customers a sense of exclusivity and privacy, complemented by our best-in-class suite of onboard products.
The addition of our popular Premium Economy cabin, rated one of the best in the industry, injects modern sophistication to the flying experience and is carefully designed for more comfort. With more Boeing 777s and A380s refreshed to sport our latest generation onboard products, customers can consistently have the very best experiences in the sky across both aircraft types.”
How are destinations for the refurbished 777 selected?
Choosing the first destinations to be served by the new 777s is a bit of a challenge for route network planners. A dual focus on demand and reactivity is essential for its introductory markets. When asked why Brussels was chosen, the country manager for Belgium provided some insights in his response to Simple Flying’s question:
“Brussels is very reactive as a market, and has a very good mix of business travel and leisure, travel, premium leisure, the yield is very interesting in Brussels, such as in Geneva, by the way.
Emirates has served Brussels since 2014. Figures to date show that the carrier has carried more than 2.41 million passengers on its route connecting Dubai with the Belgian capital, across just over 9,900 flights. It offers connections to a wide range of destinations from its main hub, with the most popular ones from Brussels being Bangkok, Johannesburg and Cape Town.
So that market is pretty much reactive more than some other bigger markets. That’s one reason why this type of aircraft will also be launched on double daily stations, which are not [operated by] an A380. That limits the choice as well.
Stations like Paris, for instance, have had the premium economy class on an A380. So these are the two main reasons: I would say if the market is there for that type of product, and the demand is there.”
The first refurbished A380s entered into commercial service back in early 2023, launching on services to London in January. Currently, the refurbished superjumbos can be found on flights to New York (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), and Houston (IAH), among many others.