Emirates adds more Premium Economy seats and winter flights from Dubai

Dubai: Emirates is expanding its Premium Economy offering across Europe and adding 31 weekly flights to destinations including Cape Town, Phuket, Hanoi and Manila this winter, as the Dubai-based airline looks to give travellers more options for long-haul trips.

Premium Economy is now available on flights to 31 of the airline’s 41 destinations across Europe and the UK, while Emirates will operate an average of 78 flights a day between Dubai and Europe during the winter schedule.

The additional services will also cover Nairobi, Tokyo Narita and Accra, alongside the winter sun destinations. The expansion gives passengers travelling from Europe more choice of onward connections through Dubai, including routes to Asia, Africa and the Indian Ocean.

“Winter is one of the busiest travel seasons for our customers in Europe, and we’re giving them more ways to enjoy it,” said Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer.

“Whether they want to discover somewhere new, unwind in the sun or spend time with family and friends, Dubai has lots to offer, but we’re also making it easier for them to reach the world’s most sought-after winter destinations beyond Dubai, with an expanded eastbound schedule and more of our popular Premium Economy seats deployed.”

Premium Economy

Paris Charles de Gaulle became the latest European gateway to offer Emirates Premium Economy on October 25, taking the cabin’s coverage to 31 of the airline’s 41 European destinations, the airline said.

The cabin offers wider seats, additional legroom and upgraded dining compared with Economy Class. Moreover, on the airline’s newer Airbus A350 aircraft, seats also have adjustable full-height privacy screens, electric leg rests, U-shaped headrests and wireless charging.

The expansion is part of Emirates’ multi-billion-dollar aircraft retrofit programme, which has so far brought updated cabin interiors to 108 aircraft.

For travellers from the UAE, the wider European deployment means more opportunities to book Premium Economy on flights to and from the region, although availability will depend on the aircraft operating each service.

Winter connections

Emirates will deploy its A380 aircraft to 21 European destinations during the winter schedule. The airline said this would provide connections to another 21 eastbound destinations served by the aircraft, including Bangkok, Sydney and Tokyo.

Helsinki, the airline’s newest European destination, is also positioned as a connecting point for onward travel across East and Southeast Asia, West Asia, the Indian Ocean, Africa and Australasia.

The airline is also relying on its codeshare and interline agreements to extend its reach beyond its own network. It says these partnerships provide access to 216 additional destinations across the Far East, Africa and the Indian Ocean.

Partner network

In the Far East, Emirates works with 35 partners, including Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Garuda Indonesia, Bangkok Airways and Philippine Airlines. The partnerships provide access to more than 123 cities, including Koh Samui, Phu Quoc, Langkawi, Busan, Surabaya and Fukuoka.

The airline has also added rail connections through Korail in South Korea and Hong Kong Airport Direct to Macau.

In Africa, partners including South African Airways, Airlink and Kenya Airways connect passengers to almost 75 destinations. These include locations near Victoria Falls, Mount Kilimanjaro and Volcanoes National Park.

Across the Indian Ocean, partnerships with Maldivian, Air Seychelles and Air Mauritius offer onward connections to destinations including the Maldives, Praslin and Madagascar.

Emirates says passengers can book these journeys on a single ticket, with baggage checked through to their final destination and access to benefits such as frequent-flyer programmes and airport lounges, subject to the terms of the relevant partnership.