Emirates is bringing its Airbus A380 Business Class seat to its Boeing 777 fleet and with it, the aircraft will at last offer direct aisle access for all premium passengers.
We’ve known for some time that Emirates was retrofitting its Boeing 777s with new Business Class seats but the Dubai-based airline has remained tight-lipped on exactly what Business Class would be installed on the twin-aisle jets.
Despite offering a massively upgraded experience compared to the old 2-3-2 seating configuration with a dreaded middle seat in Business Class, some passengers may be a little disappointed that Emirates has opted for a relatively old seat which offers significantly less privacy than the latest products.
The first Boeing 777-300 to feature the new cabin will operate its first commercial flight as flight EK83 from Dubai to Geneva on August 7 after undergoing a full head-to-toe revamp.
The aircraft (A6-EQH) has been in the hangar for 37 days where along with the new Business Class cabin, it was also retrofitted with Emirates’ Premium Economy and new Economy seats.
The new Business Class cabin features 38 seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, meaning that passengers will finally get direct aisle access no matter where they sit when flying on an Emirates Boeing 777.
The seats will be very familiar as they are the exact same ones that Emirates has long used on its double deck Airbus A380s. Each seat measures 20.7 inches and transforms into a fully flat bed measuring 78.6 inches.
Meanwhile, the Premium Economy cabin features 24 later recliner seats in a 2-4-2 configuration, while the Economy cabin comprises 256 seats in a snug 3-4-3 layout.
The aircraft has been refreshed throughout with the airline’s refreshed design language that banishes gaudy hues of gold for creams and light greens, which stand out next to dark (fake) wood panelling on side walls.
Currently, there is only one Boeing 777 featuring the new Business Class layout, but Emirates plans to install the seats on 80 more aircraft in the coming years.
Geneva is the first destination that will benefit from the new Business Class cabin, but Emirates plans to deploy the next upgraded Boeing 777s on flights to Tokyo Haneda, and Brussels in the next few weeks.
“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,” commented Emirates’ longtime president, Sir Tim Clark, ahead of refreshed plane’s first flight to Geneva on Wednesday.
Some commentators may, however, accuse Sir Tim of hyperbole given the fact that Emirates hasn’t upgraded with seats with modern Business Class essentials like a sliding privacy door, wireless charging or Bluetooth headphone connectivity.
At the very least, the new Business Class seats will offer a significantly upgraded experience compared to the seats they replace, and passengers can expect a consistent experience whether they fly on an Emirates A380 or 777.
