Business | Aviation
Emirates to upgrade aircraft interiors
Emirates airline will spend hundreds of millions of dirhams to upgrade the interiors of its long-haul aircraft as it continues its bid to become the dominant carrier between Europe and Asia.
- By Ivan Gale, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 June 15, 2007
Dubai: Emirates airline will spend hundreds of millions of dirhams to upgrade the interiors of its long-haul aircraft as it continues its bid to become the dominant carrier between Europe and Asia.
Tim Clark, Emirates CEO, said over the next 18 months the airline would spend Dh180 million on its enhanced first-class product alone, which includes flat beds with in-seat massage, dine-on-demand room service, in-suite personal mini bar and private sliding doors.
Both business and economy classes will be designed with additional space, and Emirates said all classes would be outfitted with the industry's largest personal TV screens.
In total, 51 new Boeing 777s will include the new interiors, and an unspecified number of existing aircraft will undergo retrofits.
The seating upgrade is key for Emirates, the world's eighth largest international airline by traffic, as high-value business travellers get flooded with choice between competing carriers.
Currently, Emirates flies a fleet of 103 aircraft to more than 80 cities.
"Our premium customers tell us they want more personal space, particularly on long-haul travel, and these considerations have been key in the development and refinement of our product," Clark said in a release.
Market research firm Skytrax awarded Emirates best in-flight entertainment magazine the last two years running, while Cathay Pacific won best first-class, and British Airways took top honors for business class.
"Long-haul business class standards remain an area of intense competition between airlines, and the process of product and service upgrading is fairly constant," said Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax, an industry market research firm.
Clark said more announcements were imminent as Emirates continued to invest in its entertainment system. "We are also close to announcing another multi-million dollar enhancement to our hugely-popular 'ice' in-flight entertainment system. All these investments illustrate why Emirates continues to be world-class."
First appearance
The new onboard product will make its first appearance on Emirates' Boeing 777-300ER ULR (Ultra Long Range) aircraft being delivered this month, and its 777-200LRs - the first of which will be delivered in August 2007.
Over the next 18 months, Emirates will receive 24 aircraft fitted with this product, and will also implement a programme to retrofit its existing Boeing 777 long-haul fleet.
Emirates' enhanced First Class private suites are larger with extended floor space, more stowage room for hand baggage and a bigger personal wardrobe within the suite. It also features leather upholstery with a honey walnut finish. A high cabin ceiling adds to the sense of space, and travellers can also relax at the new communal First Class bar area.
On business class, the multi-zone massage seats recline to a 78-inch long lie-flat bed. The seats also ensure maximum personal space with privacy dividers.
In economy, Emirates' new seats provide more legroom and comfort. The seats come with a fully adjustable winged headrest, wide flat footrest and articulated seat bottom pan for greater comfort.
The introduction of the in-flight entertainment system onboard also removes the need for boxes underneath seats, which will increase legroom.
Emirates' 'ice' in-flight entertainment include digital wide-screen LCD touch screens that are amongst the largest in the skies - 23 inches in first class, 17 inches in business class, and 10.6 inches in economy.
Enhanced suites with more space
Emirates' enhanced First Class private suites are larger with extended floor space, more stowage room for hand baggage and a bigger personal wardrobe within the suite. It also features leather upholstery with a honey walnut finish. A high cabin ceiling adds to the sense of space, and travellers can also relax at the new communal First Class bar area.
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