2024 will see improvements to perhaps the industry’s most lagging premium cabin product…
Emirates plans 777 business class with direct aisle access
Emirates is generally regarded as one of the best airlines in the world, but the airline has received a significant halo effect from the Airbus A380. These planes feature first class suites, business class seats with direct aisle access, shower suites, and bars.
The airline’s Boeing 777s are a completely different story, with most of these jets featuring angled-flat business class seats in a 2-3-2 configuration. It would be a huge shame to get a middle angled seat on one of the world’s best airlines in 2023.
The good news is that this is finally changing. Emirates is renovating 120 of its aircraft to add premium economy and make other cabin updates. The company has started by reconfiguring its A380 fleet, but it also plans to reconfigure its 777 fleet starting in the summer of 2024.
The airline has hinted at what changes will be made to its 777 Business Class fleet, but Emirates stopped short of confirming that it will introduce an entirely different product with direct aisle access. Fortunately, that’s now confirmed. Sam Chui Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer of Emirates Airline, was quoted as saying in an interview:
“Next summer, we will begin refurbishing 53 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, all of which will be refurbished to premium economy, changing the look and feel of business class, as well as changing the existing 2-3-2 to 1-2-1 configuration. We are making readjustments.”
This is interesting because it means that the 777 business class hard product with direct aisle access will finally start appearing in 2024. Granted, we’ll still be dealing with Emirates’ old 777 business, as not even all the planes are going to be refurbished. This is a class that will last for years to come.
Emirates continues to aim for product consistency
Currently, Emirates’ fleet consists only of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s, but the airline plans to make significant changes to its fleet over the next few years. Over the next few years, Emirates plans to take delivery of Airbus A350-900, Boeing 787-9 and Boeing 777X aircraft.
Emirates’ plans will reportedly focus more on product consistency. This means the cabins installed on the refurbished Boeing 777 are likely to be the same as seats found on Emirates’ other newly delivered aircraft.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who is very interested in what kind of business class product Emirates will choose. Whatever new product Emirates chooses, we hope it delivers a cutting-edge product, as the airline will likely be introducing it for years to come. .
I’ll be interested to see if Emirates chooses a “generic” top business class seat or if they create their own seats. Emirates certainly had time to plan this product, so we hope the airline doesn’t disappoint us. I still hope Emirates makes the decision to put a new first class on these refurbished 777s. It was introduced six years ago but is still installed on only nine aircraft. That’s ridiculous.
conclusion
Emirates will begin a new cabin renovation on 53 of its Boeing 777s in mid-2024, including the introduction of premium economy. What’s even more interesting is the introduction of a new business class in a 1-2-1 configuration with direct aisle access.
To ensure product consistency, it is expected that the new Business Class product will also be offered on Emirates’ newly delivered aircraft in the future. So which seats Emirates chooses will have a big impact.
What do you expect from Emirates’ new business class?
