Dubai’s Emirates Airline has rolled out its first Boeing 777 aircraft featuring new cabin designs, including the highly anticipated new business class seats and premium economy cabins.
The revamped aircraft took off on its debut flight to Geneva on Wednesday, August 7.
The extensive retrofit, which took 37 days and 18,000 man-hours to complete, is part of Emirates’ $3 billion investment to upgrade its fleet.
The project was carried out entirely by the airline’s in-house engineering team in Dubai.
Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, 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,” he added.
The refurbishment involved the use of:
- 330 sq. mt. of carpets
- 340 laminate sheets
- 8,000 sq. ft. of leather for First, Business and Premium Economy Class seats
- 800 metres of fabric for Economy Class seats
- 300 litres of paint
The revamped 777 now features a new Premium Economy cabin with 24 seats in a 2-4-2 configuration. These cream leather seats offer enhanced comfort with a 38-inch pitch and can recline up to 8 inches.
The Business Class cabin has also received a significant upgrade, with 38 seats in a 1-2-1 layout. Each seat converts to a flat bed and features a personal mini-bar, multiple charging outlets, and a 23-inch HD screen.
In Economy Class, the 256 seats have been refreshed with a new colour palette and ergonomic design, including full leather headrests with flexible side panels.
Emirates plans to retrofit another 80 Boeing 777 aircraft as part of this programme. In the coming weeks, the airline will deploy these upgraded aircraft on routes to Tokyo Haneda and Brussels, with more destinations to be announced soon.
The ambitious retrofit programme will eventually cover 191 Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft in Emirates’ fleet, making it one of the largest known retrofit programmes in the aviation industry.
