Emirates has completed the retrofitting of the first of 67 A380 aircraft, with the superjumbo entering service on the carrier’s Dubai-Heathrow route.
The refurbished aircraft now boasts 56 premium economy seats, which were initially unveiled in 2020. Additionally, the first and business class seats have been refurbished, accompanied by new carpets and wall panels. Notably, Emirates’ signature ghaf tree motif, including hand-stencilled panels in the first-class showers, adds a distinctive touch to the interior.
As the retrofit programme progresses, engineers will concurrently work on two aircraft, with one superjumbo being taken out of service every eight days. The next aircraft scheduled for retrofitting is A6-EUW, expected to return to service by the end of this month.
The comprehensive refurbishment of all 67 A380s is anticipated to be completed by 2024, following which Emirates will shift focus to its fleet of B777 aircraft. The airline aims to retrofit a total of 120 A380 and B777 aircraft by 2025, investing $2 billion in what is termed the “largest known fleet retrofit” project.
Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, expressed pride in the achievement, highlighting the enhanced inflight experience across all classes of travel. He emphasized the seamless integration of premium economy seats to meet customer demand, underscoring Emirates’ commitment to delivering excellence.
Emirates has progressively introduced its premium economy offering on key routes, including Heathrow, Paris CDG, Sydney, and New York JFK. Auckland will join the roster from January 23, followed by Melbourne on February 1 and Christchurch from March 26.