Emirates Airline has solidified its position as a leading provider of luxurious in-flight experiences by announcing a massive expansion of its retrofit program, which will now encompass 191 aircraft.

The original plan called for 120 aircraft – 67 A380s and 53 777s to undergo full refurbishment.

With an increased focus on premium economy seating, Emirates is responding to the robust post-pandemic travel demand.

The airline is enhancing its customer experience by revamping the aircraft interiors with new generation seats, updated cabin finishings, and a contemporary color palette.

These upgrades signify Emirates’ determination to provide a consistent and best-in-class suite of products across every cabin.

“We’re topping up our multi-billion-dollar investment in the retrofit program to introduce cutting-edge cabin products on more of our A380s and Boeing 777s, demonstrating a clear commitment to elevating the customer experience with a best-in-class suite of products across every cabin,” Emirates President Tim Clark stated.

The retrofit work, which is being meticulously managed in-house at Emirates Engineering Center, benefits from the collaboration with over 31 partners and suppliers.

This comprehensive approach ensures the aircraft are redone to the highest standards and swiftly returned to service.

Notably, the Boeing 777s will sport a refreshed interior, with first-class cabins, brand new business class seats in a 1-2-1 seating configuration—putting an end to the ‘dreaded middle seat’—and an introduction of 24 premium economy seats.

This reconfiguration necessitates the removal of 50 economy seats, which results in a total of 332 seats across four classes.

So far, Emirates has completed retrofitting 22 A380 aircraft, with the Boeing 777 scheduled for its first refresh in July, taking around two weeks per aircraft.

Once the program is completed, Emirates will have installed 8,104 premium economy seats, refreshed 1,894 first-class suites, upgraded 11,182 business class seats, and 21,814 economy class seats across its fleet.

The rejuvenated aircraft have already made their way to prominent destinations including New York JFK, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, London Heathrow, Sydney, Auckland, Christchurch, Melbourne, Singapore, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Sao Paulo. Moreover, services with the new cabin to Osaka are set to begin in early June.

Looking forward, Emirates plans to serve 42 cities with premium economy by February 2025. This expansion will coincide with the introduction of the A350s to its fleet in September of this year, further enhancing the airline’s premium offerings.

Clark expressed concern about potential delays in receiving the first 777-9 aircraft, which may extend into 2026, mirroring sentiments from Lufthansa’s CEO Jens Ritter regarding their own anticipated 777-9 deliveries. Nevertheless, Emirates’ commitment to upgrading its fleet is clear, with the retrofit program poised to ensure more customers can consistently experience the airline’s premium products across both the Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft types for years to come.

Relevant articles:
– Emirates Bolsters Retrofit Program To 191 Aircraft, Aviation Week
– Emirates extends retrofit programme to 191 aircraft, Emirates
– Emirates to refurbish additional 71 aircraft – Business Traveller, Business Traveller
– Emirates Is Refurbishing 71 Additional Aircraft, ypremium.com.au