Look Inside: Emirates Unveils Its First Ever Premium Economy Cabin

Emirates has unveiled it’s first ever Premium Economy cabin featuring luxe cream leather upholstery and the airline’s signature faux walnut grain finishes that the Dubai-based carrier describes as “classy”. The actual seat is already in use by dozens of other airline’s but this is the first time a Middle East airline has ever featured a Premium Economy – an innovation that could truly prove to be a gamechanger in the region.

The brand new Airbus A380 featuring the cabin was delivered fresh from the factory in Hamburg, Germany on Monday and for now, it’s not known whether the plane could be sent straight into storage while Emirates waits for travel demand to pick up through 2021.

Located at the front of the main deck, the 56-seat Premium Economy cabin in a 2-4-2 layout comes with two dedicated lavatories at the front of the aircraft. The Recaro manufactured seats have been customised with cream-coloured anti-stain leather upholstery and wood panel touches similar to Emirates’ existing Business Class seats.

Each seat, which measure 19.5 inches wide, also come with a 13.3-inch seatback screen, up to 40 inches of pitch, and a six-way adjustable headrest.

Emirates’ president Sir Tim Clark has previously described the seats as similar to older Business Class seats which, to a certain extent, is true. Observers might, however, be disappointed that the airline didn’t choose a unique staggered seat which would have offered more privacy.

“Our Premium Economy product was carefully developed in keeping with Emirates’ brand positioning as a full-service airline of the highest quality,” Sir Tim commented on Tuesday.

“Our First, Business and Economy experiences reset industry standards when they were introduced, and we are confident that our Premium Economy will also make its mark as a distinct premium offering,” Sir Tim continued.

For now, Emirates doesn’t actually plan to sell it’s Premium Economy cabin because it would be a logistical nightmare with only one plane in the mammoth fleet featuring the seats. Instead, Sir Tim said the airline would offer complimentary upgrades to “valued customers”.

He didn’t say whether upgraded customers would get enhanced food or beverages as part of the package.

Between now and the end of 2022, Emirates will take delivery of its last five Airbus A380’s which will all feature the cabin and the seats will also be installed on “some” Boing 777X aircraft which are expected to start joining Emirates from 2023.

The airline is, however, still considering plans to retrofit it’s existing A380 fleet with the cabin and Sir Tim didn’t announce any plans to install Premium Economy on existing Boeing 777s. In other words, even once travel demand rebounds and Emirate’s grounded jets are flying again, it could be some time before you see the cabin in real life.

Emirates said it will announce details of where the A380 aircraft with Premium Economy will be deployed in the coming weeks.