Emirates unveils one-of-its-kind electric Premium Economy seats

Dubai: Emirates has unveiled what it says is the world’s first electrically powered Premium Economy seat with a full-height adjustable privacy screen between every seat, bringing a new level of personal space to its latest Airbus A350 aircraft.

The new seat is designed to give passengers greater control over their space during a flight, with the privacy divider raised or lowered electronically at the touch of a button.

It will form part of the Emirates A350 Premium Economy cabin, which has a 2-3-2 layout and just 28 seats, said Dubai's flagship airline. The seats are 20 inches wide, offer up to 39 inches of pitch and recline into a cradle position without intruding into the row behind.

Full-height privacy

The biggest change is the privacy screen.

Unlike conventional Premium Economy dividers, Emirates’ new electric divider extends to the full height of the seat. Passengers can raise or lower it using the seat controls and lock it into position.

The idea is to create a more private space for sleeping, working or eating without moving into a higher cabin class.

The seat itself is also fully electrically powered, allowing passengers to adjust their position using an integrated Passenger Control Unit. Dedicated settings include lounge mode and meal mode.

More comfort

Emirates is also adding its redesigned U-Dream headrest by Safran Seats.

The leather headrest allows passengers to adjust the wings into multiple positions for additional neck and head support. A manually deployable leather footrest is also designed to provide greater relaxation and reduce leg fatigue.

The new Premium Economy seat also introduces wireless charging to the cabin for the first time.

Passengers with compatible devices can charge them wirelessly during the flight, while every seat also comes with USB-C charging.

The tray table includes an integrated phone holder, allowing passengers to use their phone as a second screen while eating or watching content.

4K entertainment

The A350 Premium Economy cabin will feature Emirates’ inflight entertainment system on a 13.3-inch 4K HDR touchscreen.

The airline is also adding new exterior camera views on its newly delivered A350s. Passengers will be able to see left and right-facing views in addition to the existing forward and downward cameras.

For aviation fans, the additional camera angles will offer a different perspective during take-off, landing and the flight itself.

Emirates launched Premium Economy in 2022 and has continued expanding the cabin across its fleet. The product is now available across all markets currently served by the airline’s A350s, select Airbus A380s and retrofitted Boeing 777s.